Killing For A Reason
by Snake Eyes Hinton
Summary: Lilah was breathing heavily at the end of the barrel. "Is this the part where I beg for mercy for the sake of friendship, Firefly?" "No. This is the part where I blow your face in and laugh. Sweet dreams, bitch." (Takes place right before/during Retaliation. Sets up for future fiction because I didn't want to cram so much into one.)
1. Chapter One

Lilah kept herself quiet, motioning a group behind her to go. Her mask was a bit of an annoyance though, but it was the only cover they would have to get out of this place and get these soldiers back to their families. "Hurry up." One of them pushed the other in front of him. Lilah was nervous, and wasn't going to deal with such actions. So she reacted before fully thinking it through in her head.

Lilah's hand grabbed his shoulder, and he gritted his teeth. "Don't push or you will be last. After me." The soldier grumbled something and Lilah let go, knowing there was little time left before the real operatives of Cobra would realize that she wasn't a part of Cobra and that Annabelle Myuu doesn't exist as far as they're concerned. She began walking, going down the hall calmly even though her heart was being hard and fast. It was a lesson she learned when she was small. Hold you head high and don't let anyone know.

She had all of them handcuffed, but she was a paranoid being. Lilah may have had them cuffed, but she wanted to get out with as little attention as possible. Especially if they decided that she was a bit fishy and out of place and not supposed to be there at all. Lilah took a deep breath, confirming that the hallway was clear. Once again, she motioned then forward. They were halfway across, and she grabbed the links with her hand.

"What are you doing?" The voice and the person it belonged to seemed to appear out of no where. Lilah turned back to him. She kept her mouth shut. "I asked a question. What are you doing?" Lilah fought the urge to glare at him. She had to keep a stoic face and not let anything he said or questioned bother her. She was just a soldier. Just a damned soldier who's will rested in orders from people of higher rank.

"Transporting the prisoner Joes. Boss wanted to keep it on the down low." The man stared at her, and she felt oddly invaded. Her anger melted away, and she felt like a normal girl for once. "I have the orders to move them, sir. I ask that you please move. Commander knows that the Joes have access to someone fully capable of sneaking in."

"What is your name?"

"Annabelle Myuu," Lilah said without hesitation. Lilah kept eye contact with him, dropping the chain on accident. "Sir, if you would move."

"Why are you the only escort?" Lilah didn't want to make a point.

"He wants as few people to know as possible. I have the situation under control." Her voice had more force, desperation taking over as she knew that within the next five minutes that they would know she isn't Cobra. The man gave her a moment look before he let her pass.

Lilah grabbed the chain, pulling on it roughly. She kept walking, noting that all of the Joes disconnected eye contact when they passed by the man, their gazes filled with too much hopelessness to be real. Lilah briefly wondered what he had done to receive such a reaction and then decided it wasn't her business. She went into the next hallways before pulling out a device. "Where's my baby?" she murmured.

She led them through a series of hallways, a maze in her eyes. But she didn't have much of a sense of direction, so it didn't surprise her too much. She had all of the men on and was about to take off when a siren wailed through. There was a loud noise, and she diverted her attention to see the man from earlier with a squad of Cobra operatives, real ones this time. She pulled off the helmet, releasing her blonde hair and showing off her emerald green eyes. "Hold on boys. Try not to shit yourself."

Lilah was pushed back in her seat at the speed they were going, the payment for getting these men out. Behind her, the men were getting out missiles and other RPGs to knock her out of the sky. She waited for one to shoot and barrel rolled out of the way. A smirk decorated her features and she managed to get them in the sky after a few more attacks. "Everyone cool back there?"

"I think so!" It was the captain. "How'd you find us?"

"A certain General asked me to do it." Lilah stroked the plane. "Besides, how could I say no to getting this baby even if it was assassination? Normally that takes so much time and planning that I accept only money. I would've made an exception any day for this baby. Helps that it fits so many bloody people." Lilah set her course for the Sahara dessert. "Time to go home, boys."


	2. Chapter 2

Lilah breathed in and out. She was officially freaking out. Everything was out of her control, and nothing was working right. Forget that there was a damn ninja barely ten paces behind her! She put in the code, attempting to get into her own armory. She looked at the device, and growled. She was locked from her own damn armory in her own damn house! As she turned back around, something stung in her neck as the world turned very, very dark.

* * *

Three hours earlier, Lilah was back in her cabin hidden deep in the backwoods of Louisiana. It was a change of scenery from the polar cap HQ of Cobra, but she chose not to let it bother her, instead volunteering to dress in her most casual clothes and chill around her house. She briefly considered calling her sister, but decided that she wouldn't. Her sister didn't need to know where Lilah was.

Lilah had dropped off the soldiers at an army base since the location of the Joes' base was highly classified. When she did, General Joe thanked her kindly. "I'm surprised you even got all of them out."

"I'm me, General," Lilah said, looking around the base. "If you want a job done, especially involving soldiers, all you have to do is call me. I was a military brat, so I know how important it is to get these guys back home. My only question is what they had that Cobra wanted so badly." This was the time when Lilah got some secrets out in the open. She did the job. This was the least that they owed her.

Joe recognized it too. "There was a weapon there that would scare you to death and back. I have seen many things that Cobra has done, but the nanomites seem like nothing compared to this." Lilah nodded for him to go on. "Do you know Captain America? The comics or the movies?" The blonde gave him a strange look, but nodded anyway. "Imagine people like him in the hands of Cobra." Lilah winced. "Now imagine them like the Neo-Vipers."

"Jesus," Lilah murmured. "So, they had one with them. Why not kill the Joes and take it back?" This was the most crucial part. She didn't know if any of them had been taken away during their time there, if maybe she'd been too late. It was hard to discern this from other variables in the operation, in any operation involving Cobra really.

Joe seemed genuine when he replied, "We have no idea." The conversation was over, and Lilah felt oddly disturbed. Just hearing something like that was weird, but to know that it was quite true was an entirely different ball game. Lilah didn't want to know how far Cobra would go to take the world and name it their own, especially since the world was still recovering from the summit.

Lilah had the whole place rigged within a seventeen miles radius. A bird didn't peck at the wood or pull a worm without Lilah being able to tell you when and where. She felt safe in her own little cabin, a piece of the world all to herself. Anyone who wanted to find her was taken out quickly and quietly, so long as they were hostile. Better yet, her family couldn't find her and tell her how much of a fuck up she was.

Another reason Lilah felt so safe was because she managed to get a bunker under the cabin. Everything of importance, even her armory, was in that bunker. No one could get to it, even with a rocket launcher. It was tested before she actually put it in the cabin. So if someone were to find her, she had a secondary location that was undetected and unknown. No one besides her could get in.

Lilah had to admit that sometimes she felt a bit lonely. But it was either lonely or risk her family and friends. Lilah didn't know any other way to be anyway. Her sister had it great, but Lilah was given all of the hardships. She didn't claim to have the best life, but her life expectancy had been five years with the pathetic excuse of a family she got. No one else lived much longer than that or went to another family before then.

But Lilah made it through ten years of it. She didn't hate who she became, but she sure as hell didn't love her either.

Something seemed off to Lilah about five minutes into a book she picked up before going to the cabin. There was a crack outside her window, too heavy to be an animal. She heard a soft whish, moving quickly as a knife landed where her head was just moments before. Lilah pulled the pistol from under the coffee table, dragging her dagger from under the floor board. She clicked her belt around her waist as there was a beeping outside the cabin entrance.

Lilah rolled and was hiding under the kitchen counter as the door blasted open. It hit the other side of the room as a whole squad of soldiers entered her living room. Lilah grabbed the throwing knives from her belt, standing up. She counted fourteen as they all seemed to pause for a second upon seeing her. "Miss me?" She threw threw knives, hitting three soldiers easily.

Nine to go. Lilah put her gun to use, shooting down two of them as she ran forward with the dagger, slitting one's throat before jamming it into the chest of a fourth. Five were left, and all of them were quivering as the shot at her. Lilah took two bullets to the arm before she behind the couch, and another in her ankle before she could pull it with her. She gritted her teeth, green eyes clenched tight. When they stopped to reload, she made another move.

There were only three bullets left, so she used them up quickly. The problem was that two were left, and the dagger she had earlier was hit deep in the chest of a dead man. The duo came toward the couch, and Lilah grabbed the grenade from her belly, pulling the pin and throwing it in their general direction.

She waited a full minute for the silence to have an interruption. When she found that nothing was going to do so, she stood up from behind the couch. There was one trying to move, and so she kicked him in the side. "Where did you come from?" The question didn't need an answer. She found it when she saw the insignia on his uniform. Her expression went from mildly annoyed to fear.

"Cobra sees all," he said with his dying breath. Lilah grabbed her jacket, pulling her dagger out with a great deal of effort and gathering her throwing knives. She made her way to her room to get to her armory for more ammunition and to get a few more guns to get the hell out of dodge. Lilah pulled her golden hair back, the curls perfect. Lilah decided that her hair was perfect when she didn't need it to be bloody perfect.

Lilah looked through all of her security measures, trying to decide what went wrong with the alarm system. Her green eyes examined each and every camera, going back as far as the day before. Nothing. Lilah felt panic stir in her chest as the power went out, the generator keeping only a few things alive. "Son of a fuckin' bitch."

Lilah wasn't safe in her own damned house anymore. Her territory was no longer her own. She felt like a rabbit caught in the cunning fox's trap, preparing for the swipe that would come and would aim for the kill. She had to get out of there. Lilah went back up to the surface of the cabin area. She saw something white staring at the dead bodies littering her floor.

"Shit." Lilah barely dodged the shuriken thrown her way. Another cut her cheek, and the warm blood slid down her cheek. Lilah felt for the extra clip under the desk as he came towards her, a katana blade at the ready. Lilah held her dagger in a defensive position, continuing her search. He held something in his other hand, showing it Lilah in a very taunting way. "Okay, that's just being a dick. Like, for real." She rolled to the side as the katana came down.

Standing on her own feet, Lilah moved out of the way of the ninja's strikes. She was hesitant to attack, and that hesitance became vital in keeping out of his reach. Vases were smashed, slashes in the walls of wood, and everything was destroyed. Lilah finally had enough and blocked his strike with her blade, drawing a dagger just a bit shorter than the one she already had.

Lilah lashed out with the other dagger, a hair's breath away from him. He was obviously caught off guard. Lilah used it to her advantage, holding the dagger in a way that exposed her knuckles to his chin as the blonde performed an uppercut. He caught her wrist easily though, and Lilah saw a needle in his hand where her spare clip had been. In an act of desperation, she twisted her wrist around, cutting his arm.

Lilah was out of the room in a second. Soon, she stood in front of the armory.

Lilah breathed in and out. She was officially freaking out. Everything was out of her control, and nothing was working right. Forget that there was a damn ninja barely ten paces behind her! She put in the code, attempting to get into her own armory. She looked at the device, and growled. She was locked from her own damn armory in her own damn house! As she turned back around, something stung in her neck as the world turned very, very dark.


	3. Chapter 3

A groan filled the air as Lilah opened her eyes to a bright light, nearly blinding her. She swore under her breath as she looked around, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from falling. Finally, the landed on two men in front of her. One wore a mask made of some type of metal, and the other was the white clad ninja. "Are you sure this is her? The one who broke into the base earlier today?"

"I am sure of it." It was the white clad ninja. Now, however, his mask was down, and she clearly recognized him as the man who stopped her in the hallways. Lilah rolled her shoulders back, noting that she was tied. Her hands started to work on it moments after she stopped rolling her shoulders. "Shall I begin the questioning, Commander?"

"Oh, hell," Lilah moaned. "I'm stuck in the same bloody room as this asshole who broke into my house and the damn Cobra Commander. " Lilah felt the rope give way. "I really fucked up somewhere along the road between my leaving and my being here." Commander didn't seem too impressed with her. Neither did the ninja, "Well, I guess tea time's over. Got people to kill and all. You probably know the drill and how it goes."

There was suddenly a shuriken sticking out of her arm. Lilah bit her lip. "I should think that even you would know escape is futile. Not to mention that the Commander is only an artificial intelligence until we can get our real Commander back."

"I also know that we are most likely in one of your four main bases. I'm going to give a wild guess and say the Louisiana base hidden under the city of Shreveport under a house inhabited by a fake family that you brought together." Lilah grinned. "I know what I'm doing when I research. You guys aren't very secretive either when there's alcohol in your system and you've got a pretty girl in your lap."

"Earlier, I asked your name." He seemed to be ignoring her comment. "I am going to ask again. What's your name?"

"I prefer Lilah." She moved her arm experimentally, trying to find the limit of what she could do. "Although, the polite thing to do would be to tell me your name too, pal." Lilah looked down at her legs. "Damn. You guys really don't like me. So long as I don't feel a hot rod, we won't have a problem."

"I am Storm Shadow." Lilah knew she was only hearing this because she was cooperative. "How did you get in? We know everybody and there are certain systems were have to ensure no unwanted visitors."

"I danced for a guy." Lilah wasn't a whore or a slut; she just knew how to get what she wanted, and what she wanted was information. "Head of security or something like that. I didn't catch his name. I preferred the juicy details and secrets." Lilah stared at him calmly, beginning to space out a bit.

Storm Shadow made his way to her, pulling the shuriken from her arm. Lilah didn't make a sound, clenching her teeth as he untied the rope securing her hands. She bent over, biting her shirt for a second and releasing her feet. "Follow me. Stray and there won't be a deal."

Lilah knew he was being very serious. If she dared to make the wrong move, especially consciously, it was not going to go right. Not in her fair anyway. So she did, stumbling a bit since his strides were a bit longer than her own. "Where are we going?"

"You took down fourteen soldiers within a ten minute time frame while all of your defense were down." He turned down another hallway. "I don't like to waste talent, even if you do." Lilah scoffed and ruled her eyes. "There is only one way that I can keep you here in Cobra. Considering that you have captured the attention of Firefly, I think you're going to pass."

"Pass what?" Lilah asked. "A test on the history of Cobra? Good thing I crammed last night. Oh, wait, no I crammed for a damn physics test! Oh, dear!"

"You are incredibly annoyin'," a voice said a bit away. "Reminds me of a girl I used to date in high school. You kinda look like her too. She just had some brown hair, though I never did know if it was natural. Couldn't get that ass for shit." It seemed to be distinctly from somewhere with an accent. Lilah split her eyes away from Storm Shadow's shadow, catching the gaze of a man in camouflage and playing around with something small.

"Good," Lilah said, walking to him. "You probably didn't deserve it anyway. My first impression is that you tend to think with the lower head." Lilah noticed something on his belt. "That's my dagger." She was next to him in a second, hand wrapped around the hilt. "Never touch my dagger without my permission. I've killed men for barely looking at it before."

The man snorted. "She's a doll, ain't she, Storm Shadow?" Lilah glared, taking the blade back into her hands. She felt a bit more at ease just having it near, especially as a katana slid under her chin and she flipped the dagger backwards. "Ain't too bright though."

"Funny," Lilah said. "Where my dagger is positioned right now, I could take out your pancreas before you could slit my throat, or, God forbid this happen to my beautiful face, behead me." She made it obvious where it was, pressed the tip into his shirt. "You're move, ninja boy." There was a moment's breath before she was freed. "Thought you'd see it my way."

Reflexively, Lilah pulled her dagger up to block a blow as she ducked. She heard the fabric at his arm rustle, she realized a moment later. Lilah heard the other man take a step before swiping his feet from under him. "I told you she was excellent. Cobra Commander could overlook the scouting part for how skilled she is."

"Yeah, but what about keeping her loyal? She don't look like the type to stay in one place too long." He grinned at her. "Firefly, by the way."

"Yeah, yeah, fuck you," Lilah said. She turned to Storm Shadow, standing up slowly. "I can be loyal. I just need a damn good reason. Money works, although my life is valued a good deal more. All of my money not spent on surviving goes to a certain place anyway." She began walking away from them, trying to go back to the cell. "If you need me, I'll, hopefully, be in the cell. Unless there's more to this conversation."

"There is. I still want to see the limit of what you can do." Lilah sighed, her back towards from Storm Shadow. "We can easily get where that certain place is, Lilah. It is far, far too easy for our kind."

"You go near them, and not even hell will save you." Her voice came out a bit more passionate and strained than she wanted. The blonde took a calming breath through her nostrils. "You do not need to involve them. They are of no consequence and are not, will not, and can not be collateral damage to everything I do." She caught Firefly's hand as he went to put it on her shoulder. "I am the collateral damage to everything I do." She squeezed it hard enough to make a vein pop out on his head. "So take your tests and medical exams and fuck off. I know my limit, and if I so choose to leave, I will."

Storm Shadow came near, and Lilah felt a vibe in the air that unsettled her. He grabbed her wrist, her grip instantly loosening. As he dragged it away from Firefly, she felt even more threatened. She couldn't quite describe it. So she did was most comforting for her. She took her dagger in hand. He knew it was there, but he didn't even have to look at it to know. "It appears my threat has upset you greatly."

"No one touches them."

He ignored her. "You should calm down."

"I can't calm down. You're intimidating, he's pissing me off, and I am not in my own territory anymore. My territory was invaded, and you'll go after my pack next." Lilah took another calming breath. "I need some ice cream. I've cream fixes the fucking world. It really does."

Storm Shadow didn't respond, letting go of her. He walked forward, opening a door. He disappeared behind it, but the command was obvious. She glared at the door, walking anyway. She was surprised to see a mat inside, but there were blood stains in several places that slightly alarmed her. Choosing not to do anything about it, Lilah moved swiftly to the middle of the floor where Storm Shadow was.

He threw her some clothes. "Dress quickly."

Lilah gave him a pointed look to turn away. He agreed politely, and she pulled off her comfortable shirt for a crop top, her jeans for some really short shorts that made her glad she shaved the night before, and she pulled off her shoes. "Okay, you have to have a different pair of shorts. I cannot move in these, and I will put my jeans back on if I have to." He didn't turn. "Fine." Lilah grabbed her jeans, pulling them up in enough time to block a fist from Storm Shadow.

"Good reflexes, though you've already proved that." Lilah took a hit to the stomach as it took both of her hands to clock his one. She grunted, but didn't release her grip at all. "You've got a grip and a tolerance for pain." Lilah flipped back to get away from him, landing low. He swung something around in his hands. "Now let's see your drive."

Lilah growled low and deep. "Give it back."

"Take it back." He put it simply enough that Lilah got the message. The blonde moved towards him, feigning right before dipping low as he swung. She fell to the side as he kicked her legs from under her, using her own pair to keep him off of her while reaching for the item in his hand. Storm Shadow smirked an arrogant smirk, the first bit of personality he saw from her in a while. "What's so special about his dagger?"

"Who gave it to me," she gritted out. It was a feeble and vain attempt compared to Storm Shadows strength. "That person is more important to me than my own life. I'd kill for him. I have killed." Lilah felt the weight from her legs vanish. "What do I have to do to get it back?" It was a rhetorical question, more to herself than to him. He smirked at her. Glancing around, she found nothing. But she had to get it back.

Instead of coming up with a rational plan, Lilah charged for Storm Shadow, aiming for the dagger with the glinting sapphire on the hilt. He seemed to expect this, and she didn't regret a bit of it as he knocked her down. She lashed out, kicking at his knee. He grunted, coming down reflexively with the dagger. She grasped his wrist, tearing the dagger from his fingers.

"Got it." Lilah was breathing hard.

"Good." Storm Shadow eyed her up and down. "You'll make a good tool."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You shouldn't."


	4. Chapter 4

Lilah was breathing hard after her morning jog. She pulled the earphones out, Undead Hollywood blasting and clearly heard down the hall. Lilah had been put in a room that connected to Storm Shadow's, and had been seriously updated in the last week. What had been a blank, white room was now filled with movies, purple walls, a splatter painted black bed set, and an awesome Blu-Ray player with an X-Box system not too far away.

What surprised Storm Shadow the most, however, was her collection of books when he saw it. She had been granted permission to go out with Firefly, buying a ton of books that she hadn't read and old ones that were her personal favorites. She even had a corner of manga collections. That was also when she got everything else. Firefly reported that after visiting a clothing store, she had about three thousand dollars cash that disappeared when they stopped by the ice cream shop next to a postal service.

Lilah had been at the base for a week, had read about ten of the fifty books she bought, and was itching to watch a horror movie with someone. Lilah had to admit that she was a little bitch when horror movies were involved. But she loved the stories that came with them. She was close to getting Storm Shadow to have a movie night.

Lilah was surprised by the emotions she saw in Storm Shadow. She thought he would be a stuck up dick, but he was a bit more than that. He was ruthless, but there was something he deeply regretted. Lilah was smart not to pry into that sort of thing. Besides, it was during those times where she got to see the man behind the arrogant grin, when it happened a few times, and the mask of indifference.

Firefly seemed to be exactly as she met him. Over a holographic call with a man named Zartan, who she mistook for the President, Lilah found that things were a bit tense sometimes between both Firefly and Storm Shadow with Zartan. When Lilah asked Storm Shadow, he refused an answer and left. When she asked Firefly, he laughed in her face and patted her head and said not to worry about it. So Lilah tried to get into the data base.

Her three attempts were in vain. She tried to do it in her room, Storm Shadow caught her. She tried to do it on an outing with Firefly, he kept enough of an eye on her to know, though he didn't tell Storm Shadow. The third time, she couldn't find the damn base from her phone, the only electronic left.

The blonde was sketching in her room when the door opened. Lilah became very well aware that Storm Shadow was the only one who could into her room and that he knew when she was changing or not. She blamed the Ninja Sense. "Lilah, would you like to come with me?"

"Where are we going?" Lilah asked, getting up and closing the notebook. Storm Shadow held a hand out for it. "Dude, it's a bunch of drawings. I promise it won't threaten your future as ninja king." He didn't back down and Lilah bit back a biting remark. It would so not be in her best interest to piss him off. But he wasn't going to see it.

Lilah went to the fireplace, holding it for him to see. "Either believe me or this will burn just to prove it to you. It has nothing to do with a professional life and all to do with a personal life." Storm Shadow had a hint of interest as he pulled back. Lilah placed it on the mantel. If she had had to burn it just so he wouldn't see, she might have killed Storm Shadow.

"I suppose it has to do with where the three thousand dollars went?"

"Personal life means no information, Storm," Lilah replied. "So fuck off." Lilah moved past him, waiting for him to give her a direction to go. That felt like the only thing she had done for a while, especially since she arrived at Cobra. Waiting for a hand to point her in the right direction. Storm Shadow moved in front of her, and she followed behind him.

Lilah soon recognized the hallways to a particular room she had been held inside. She stopped as soon as she saw it. "Why are we here?" Storm Shadow opened the door. "I asked a question. Why are we here?"

"Someone chose to wait in here for you."

"Aw, hell, Joan." Lilah knew that Joan would find her eventually, but she hoped it would be for a long time. The blonde stepped through the doorway to see the brunette she knew for so long. "Joan, I thought we had a deal when Cobra or the Joes were involved. We leave each other alone and toss them to the dogs."

"It wasn't just for you!" Joan said in her defensive manner. Joan was always defensive and never thought things through. Lilah knew the latter part was why they were friends, but Joan could be worse than Lilah at times. "I got worried, so it was for me!"

"But you were worried for me," Lilah pointed out with a smirk. Then she saw Storm Shadow in the corner of her eye, worry and panic filling her. "You are an idiot, my dear friend. You should've just left. Do you know what Cobra does when things don't go their way?"

"Yeah, the people are recruited," Joan said, pointing at Lilah. The blonde shook her head. "What is the big deal? We always end up together. I sped up the process."

"No, Joan, you didn't." Storm Shadow pushed Lilah out of the room. He was riding to get her out, a real bad sign. "Joan!" She spun around, struggling in his arms. "Let me go, Storm! Let me fucking go!" Joan stood up, immediately alarmed before she fell to the door in convulsions. "Joan!" Storm Shadow let her go, and she crawled to Joan. Joan smiled up at her before she fell limp, her eyes opening to show the tears in her eyes. Lilah shook her companion once before getting up.

"I tried to tell Storm-" Lilah cut off Firefly with a nice whop to the noise. There was a long string of curses behind her, deliberately ignored. They killed Joan. They disgraced her. Joan had the view that if you killed someone like herself and Lilah that it had to be with a knife or a gun or something that didn't kill you internally. Something that made it savage, like you really were. After all of the pain Joan knew she caused, Lilah thought Joan felt it was a way to compensate for everything she did to anyone, dead or alive.

A hand caught Lilah's bicep, pulling her to a stop. Lilah swung. She wasn't sure what happened next, but she was on the floor and looking into dark eyes. "Lilah, listen. Please?"

Lilah never heard Storm Shadow say please, but she wasn't having it. She didn't want to answer him. She didn't want Joan dead without a mark to show murder. She didn't want to be in the same room as the people who killed Joan. She wanted to run away. She wanted for someone to mourn Joan in a way no one mourned her. She wanted for Joan to have someone to remember her. She wanted Joan to be somewhere up the ladder to heaven, even if it was impossible. She wanted to cry for a friend she lost and be alone while she did.

"I hate you." Lilah may have wanted to be away, but she wanted to hurt them too. It wasn't just that though. It was the first time in a long time that she actually meant it. Lilah looked him dead in, zeroing on to him. "I hate you."

Storm Shadow didn't bat a lash. Lilah struggled against him, and he sighed before letting her up. "We couldn't do anything for her, Lilah."

Lilah scrambled to her feet before bolting off to her room. She crawled into her bed, grabbing a notebook and a pencil. Tears blurred her vision, and she wiped them away to get a better look at the paper. They slipped down onto the paper, making Lilah throw it across the room with a yell.

A while later, Lilah was staring at a movie, a homemade one that she brought with her everywhere. She pushed it under her pillow as the door opened, the disc secured away from sight. She knew who it was. There were only two people who cared enough to go into her room to see her. And they had killed a dear friend. "So, Lilah, wanna have that movie night you been buggin' Storm about?"

Lilah didn't reply. It infuriated her all the more. They killed Joan, and the only thing they could think about was a damned sleepover? What was wrong with them?

"Lilah, you can't ignore us. I think it's about to drive Storm Shadow mad."

"Let him! I don't care!" Lilah pulled the sheets over herself.

"You are acting like a teenager," Firefly sang.

"Fuck you."

Storm Shadow pulled the blanket from her face. There was something there, just as she had seen before. Regret. "I will not be blamed for another death. We didn't kill Joan."

"Then who did, Storm Shadow?"

"We're still trying to figure that out. In the meantime, you need to get your act together. We're going to get the Commander out, eventually, and when he learns what you did, you have to be prepared to prove yourself to him."

Everything before seemed a game, but now it wasn't so much. It was all serious and real. She just didn't want to admit it to herself; it would only have scared her more. Lilah looked at Storm Shadow, a bit speechless. "That movie sounds pretty good now, right?"


	5. Chapter 5

The next week Lilah didn't spend in solitude and in tears. It was spent in anger and sneaking around to get the information she wanted. She wanted to know who killed Joan and why. Lilah stopped curling her hair, letting it fall in waves after getting it cut to her shoulder blades. Her hair grew quickly, so she knew that by next week it would be back to mid back. If seemed to permanently want to stay down to her waist.

Storm Shadow was always finding her before Lilah could do any real damage. It pissed her off and made her think he has something to hide. Firefly wouldn't even put in that much effort, instead ordering and planning movie nights. So far, they only watched action and romance movies, all chosen by the Great Idiot himself. She tried to put on a show for them so they would get off her ass, but backing out of practice and spars seemed to draw a lot of attention.

Lilah sat on a comfortable couch in the cover story, playing an old movie she had no interest in. Well, she really did, but that movie always made her cry. In her hands was her phone, reading a coded text from General Abernathy. He had been looking into Joan and her death, assisting her to find who did it. "Who is it from?"

Lilah jumped, leaping to her feet. She was in a tank top and shorts, still tired. Storm Shadow have her an amused look. "Fucking ninjas. Can you, like, make a sound or eat or something? Give me a sign before you try to make me piss myself?" Lilah was attempting to change the direction of the conversation, but Storm Shadow was used to her ways.

"Who sent the message? It looks like a party invitation, and I was under the influence that you didn't have friends."

"I don't," Lilah said, ignoring his suspicious gaze. "What is on the menu for tonight?"

"Pizza, ice cream, and, hopefully, a horror movie," Storm Shadow said, watching the movie that was on. "What are you watching?"

"No clue," Lilah lied smoothly. She really didn't want to know since her favourite character was dying. She saw him sit next to her out the corner of her eyes, hiding back tears as he said his last words. Storm Shadow smirked at her, calling her out. "Okay, maybe I know. Shut up, Stormy." Lilah bumped him with her shoulder.

Lilah went back to the message, reading the rest of it and skipping it into her back pocket as she read a book she had picked up. It was silent between them into Lilah found her favourite character in the series. The character was a dirty minded female who Lilah could relate to more often than she didn't. "What are you reading?"

"A book, obviously," Lilah retorted. "I know you like those erotic novels, but there are more books than Fifty Shades of Grey." Storm Shadow snorted. "Although, this is much more entertaining to women. It's about werewolves. Or of the characters is just... Oh. Well." Lilah trailed off as she read the next part before laughing. "Of all the characters to not be a virgin, she is the virgin."

Storm Shadow grabbed the book, reading through the pages and seeing some of the lines that Lilah highlighted. He shook his head at one of them. "'So here I am little 'ole me liking for a good time in a hospital.' Lilah, what are you reading?"

"Hey. She is actually providing cover for her friend so she can get in to see their other friends who is in ICU," Lilah said, being a tiny bit defensive. "Besides, she's actually a virgin. I have no doubt her mate will see to it." Lilah stole the book back from him, settling herself to read comfortably for another few hours. Or for a while until Storm Shadow left.

It didn't take long for the ninja to get bored. He began during, standing up and during back down moments later like he didn't want to be there. Lilah sighed, glaring at him. "Are you a dog or something? Because I know dogs who have bigger balls than you do."

"And I know men with bigger breasts."

"That is utter bullshit. I am in a D-cup, thank you." It was actually a DD but Lilah was not about to tell him that. They were an irritant advantage. Or disadvantage. Depended on the situation usually.

"And I've had women stare in surprise." Lilah grinned, ready to wipe the smirk off of his face.

"At how fucking small it is."

"How would know anyway?" Storm Shadow asked, giving her a side ways look. Lilah stared blankly at him. "It was just to make me stop getting up and sitting down, wasn't it?"

"Good job, Watson." Lilah said dryly, going back to her book. She was interrupted again when Storm Shadow kept shifting on the couch. Lilah glared at the ceiling. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" The book was taken from her hand, and Storm Shadow was halfway across the room, reading it. "Give it back," she whined.

"Take it back," he replied. Lilah had the ground that it wasn't going to be as easy as last time considering he knew how she fought now. He knew how desperate she could get and how long it took for her to be that desperate. So, Lilah entertained herself with other things, keeping her curiosity to herself in the hopes that Storm Shadow would hand it over. Her hopes were crushed when he began tearing out loud, farther toward the back than Lilah remembered stopping at.

The blonde took a pen, throwing it point first towards the ninja. Storm Shadow caught it really, still reading. Lilah marched over to him, attempting to grab the novel back from him. He moved his arm quickly, keeping it out of reach. Lilah growled, going for it again. She looked at Storm Shadow to see a smirk on his face.

One thing Lilah had learned about Storm Shadow in her time there was that he loved his space. It always took him a second or two to get used to someone invading his space before he could really do anything. Other than swing his katana, which he could do real quick. Lilah made sure to be extra careful when he had that thing in his hand, otherwise she would have been dead ten times over. So that's what she did. She leaned in, kissing Storm Shadow on his cheek before grabbing it out of his hand. She smirked at him, only to see the book taken again. "I got it back, Storm!"

"Then take it back again." Lilah huffed, crossing her arms. "Acting like a child will get you no where, Lilah." The blonde narrowed her eyes at him, choosing to leave him alone, grabbing her phone and going to one of her favorite websites. When she lost a book or was in serious trouble, she always kept the site in mind because it was particularly useful. She brought up the book she had been reading before, picking up where she was and starting again, walking away and back to her room.

* * *

Lilah jumped again as something easily seen popped out. Storm Shadow rolled his eyes while Firefly laughed at her. Honestly, the two males were bored by the whole thing, even though they were halfway through. The blonde had her hair in a French braid, wearing a set of pajamas suitable for being in a room with two guys who had no sexual interest in you. "I don't get how you guys are so easily bored."

"I like watching things go boom," Firefly said in a joking voice. "And everything bores Storm. Don't matta if it's two naked girls or two naked men."

"The naked men would be so weird," Lilah said, casting a glance at Firefly. "You know, if two naked men-"

"Don't even start the gay jokes. Don't you dare-"

"Hey, Storm Shadow," Lilah said with a grin. "Why is Edward Cullen a homosexual?"

"No idea," he said, boredly flipping the pages of the first book in the series he had stolen earlier. He gave her the book back, grabbing it without her permission. Lilah didn't particularly care enough to tell him to put it back since her phone died.

"Vampires burn in the sunlight, Gays sparkle," Lilah replied. It wasn't a good one, but Lilah was getting started with any kind of joke. Blonde, fat, yo momma, gay, and anything in between. "Hey, Firefly, did you hear about the two gay guys that had an argument in the bar?"

"What did I do to deserve this?"

"They went outside to exchange blows." Firefly turned the movie up at a part that made Lilah scream. "You know what, how about you and Storm be like those gay guys, jackass? 'Cause there ain't a woman interested here, and you know you're getting horny staring at your phone. Which do you prefer, blondes or brunettes?"

Firefly smirked at her. "Blondes are a bit tighter-"

"Oh, my God, don't." Lilah turned the lamp off. Storm Shadow glared at her, turning the lamp back on. "I will scream rape." He had a challenging gleam in his eyes. Lilah took a deep breath. "R-" Firefly slammed a hand over her mouth, and Storm Shadow turned the light off. Lilah smirked at the both of them. "A blonde, a redhead, and a brunette were all lost in the desert. They found a lamp and rubbed it. A genie popped out and granted them each one wish. The redhead wished to be back home. Poof! She was back home. The brunette wished to be at home with her family. Poof! She was back home with her family. The blonde said, 'Awwww, I wish my friends were here.' Remember, I won't wish for you to be there alive. I'll wish for your dead bodies."

Firefly chuckled, hitting her shoulder a bit hard. "You know you love us too much." Lilah frowned, rubbing the area he hit.

"I would actually kiss Storm Shadow before I ever admitted having any civil type of feeling for any of you." Lilah had a serious look. "No, actually, I would play patty cake with Cobra Commander before I kissed Storm Shadow before I admitted having any type of civil feeling for anyone before I would admit having any civil feeling toward you."

Firefly laughed, gathering his things. "I've got some things to do tomorrow, so be good kids. Use a condom," he said, throwing one at Storm Shadow. Lilah looked mortified, her mouth wide open and her eyes bulging.

"Didn't you know that I carry my own, Firefly? Besides, I'm a bit bigger than you. Like, six inches."

"MIND RAPE!"


	6. Chapter 6

Two weeks later, Lilah was let in on all of the juicy details. Storm Shadow and Firefly figured out rather quickly that it was hard to keep things from Lilah. She looked to be on the inside, even if she couldn't sell the information. They also made it clear regularly that they could find her "special someone" easily. This kept her from giving it to the Joes.

Lilah studied explosive arts with Firefly and trained with Storm Shadow. It was a routine that kept her busy so she couldn't dive too deep into the Prototype Project, something strictly off limits to her. It actually kind of pissed her off. But Zues was so interesting that it kept her from acting on her feelings. She didn't want them to suddenly close up about something that could cause so much devastation. Who else would stop it without inside information?

It was hard to keep her true intentions from Firefly and Storm Shadow since she spent so much time with them. It wasn't that it bothered her, but it was easy to let things slip out around them. Especially when she let Firefly get something in her system. Instead, she chose to keep her mouth shut and kept her opinions to herself when it came to Zues. Nothing good would come off opening her mouth more.

In the meantime, Lilah kept up with Joe. She didn't share information, neither did he, but they spoke frequently enough for her to call him a friend. She even confided in him to tell him of just a bit of her past. He reassured her, and she knew that it was all she could do for her sister.

"Lilah, get up!" Firefly shouted. "You gotta come with me to pick up the Commander and Storm Shadow!" She heard him walking away. She threw on a tank top and some camouflage pants that Firefly had gotten Storm Shadow as a joke. He passed them to her.

Lilah was out of the room and with Firefly in a moment. "Jeez, couldn't warn me earlier?" Firefly laughed at her, irking Lilah just a bit. "I was being serious, jackass."

"No, I couldn't. I forgot about it until about fifty minutes ago." Lilah laughed this time. "I can't help but wonder why a pretty lady like you gets away with doing shit with Cobra."

"Pretty girls like me do shit with Cobra because we inflict pain no matter where we go." Lilah got behind him on his motorcycle. "Besides," she whispered suggestively in his ear. "Pretty girls like me are bad girls without the sex. Pleasure from pain, doll." Firefly baked a laugh.

"I knew I liked you."

* * *

Lilah watched in sick amusement as her partner's explosives lit up the sky. They weren't detonated, not yet, but there was a beauty to them. Lilah had a few in her belly, shaped like lilies. They weren't as complex machinery as Firefly's, but he loved them anyway. Said they matched her personality.

Suddenly all of it went to hell. Lilah hated this part. She knew it was coming every time, but she didn't really want to acknowledge it. It was in the back of mind, something pushed back for another day and another time. But to see the explosion and watch the men die sent a sick glee through her, then a strike of horror at the realization. A constant battle raging within her.

"You jump when I say, alright, babycakes?"

"How about I jump when I get scared?"

"Chicken is dangerous, girly." He revved the engine. "But if you insist, have at it." He drove forward,shooting at the fence and releasing rockets for the concrete fence. Firefly grinned back at her, jumping off at the time where his life was in least danger but it was most beneficial. Lilah waited until it was in the air before throwing herself to the side, tickled. She protected her head from the explosion using her arms. Firefly came to her.

"You are insanely easy to entertain." He helped her up. "I'll buy you a motorcycle for your birthday. How does that sound?" Lilah grinned at him. "Are you drunk?"

"I only had like three shots, Firefly. That is not drunk," Lilah replied in a matter-of-fact voice. "Otherwise, we probably wouldn't be here, and I would be dead. Now... What are we doing again?" Firefly shook his head, making sure she had her balance before letting go of Lilah. "Wait... You didn't believe that, did you?" Lilah crossed her arms.

"I would never believe you drunk unless you passed out, Lilah, dear," Firefly said easily. He really thought she might have had those three shots. Lilah gave him a look. "When was the last time you were drunk?"

"When did you enter my life? About three weeks before that in the cabin," Lilah replied, entering through the obliterated doorway. "Hurry up. We'll be late. I can't afford to be any more on the Commander's bad side." Lilah entered the elevator, taking out two guards with her dagger. "Hurry up, Firefly!" He was inspecting the bodies she left behind, seeming to look for something on them. He got up, jogging to meet her.

"You got them right in the heart, y'know?"

"Purposely, dumbass." Lilah let the door open, and Firefly threw something into the hallway where it seemed to be a stand off between the wardens and Storm Shadow and Cobra Commander. "Where's Destro?"

"Probably not coming back any time soon," Firefly mumbled back as it went off. Lilah watched as they all flew away, hitting the wall painfully and bloody. She stood up with Firefly as Cobra Commander made a comment about a ride to Storm Shadow.

Then his gaze turned on her. "Who might this be?"

Firefly cleared his throat. "We had a security problem, and the Joes nearly got a Prototype still in Phase One. She was sent to infiltrate Cobra and bring the soldiers we took with us to empty them of information. We were lucky enough that they retained nothing of what they learned, but we got a tracker on her. You are looking at someone that even Storm Shadow approves of."

Lilah held a hand out to shake with the Commander. "Lilah. Assassin, hacker, and a great liar. Anything you want me to tell you now that you're out of prison? I've heard compliments do the trick. Wouldn't know myself though." She held her ground, meeting the Commander's eyes in an unwavering way. "Never been into prison without breaking out within the week."

Commander didn't say anything, and she felt a bit of accomplishment at that. "Remind me to kill her when we've dominated the world." Lilah kept a smug grin on her face, meeting Storm Shadow's eyes as Commander began walking away.

An explosion made Lilah turn around. "Oh, shit!" Firefly grabbed her collar, dragging her as they made a run. The whole place was going up in a fiery blaze. No, Lilah told herself. Just that particular room. She felt the blaze singe her hair, catching Storm Shadow as he yelled in pain, having been a bit behind after dodging something. Lilah didn't get a good look at it. But she saw his back, and her eyes widened.

"Storm?" Lilah held him up as best she could, a step or two away from the elevator with the fence in front of it. She didn't care though. He didn't answer her, and her eyes glinted dangerously. "Help me out, Firefly." He took most of Storm Shadow's weight, already with a destination in mind for the healing process that Lilah didn't really want to imagine sitting through. She was climbing into the helicopter when her back pocket vibrated.

"You gonna answer that?"

"Not around you," Lilah replied to Firefly. "If I had reason to read it around you, I would. I'll go to the mountains with Storm Shadow. Be careful, boys." Lilah waited until she and Storm Shadow were a good bit away from the ground, her hand wrapped around Storm's so she could have easy access in case something went wrong and so she could restrain him in a bit so he didn't move so much. She flipped the phone open, opening the text message.

_Emergency. Get to my place ASAP. -Joe_

**_Give me about forty eight hours, Joe. I'll get there soon, and with a ton of information. You won't wanna miss this. -Lilah_**


	7. Chapter 7

Lilah did what she could for Storm Shadow, which was mostly just being there. It wasn't that the fight was overly long, though it sure as hell felt like was, it was that she never really saw someone like Storm Shadow hurt. Even when she accidentally dug her dagger into his shoulder during a session, he calmly removed it and took care of the wound.

To see him like this reminded Lilah that he was human. He was a damn ninja who could kill her with a flick of his wrist, but he could die too. He could be killed just as easily as she. It brought a new perspective. Lilah smiled to herself. Storm Shadow was a bit complex too, it seemed. He was a badass ninja with regrets, could actually get hurt, and no matter what he did to prolong his life, would one day die like any other human. It was different and it was new.

Her grasp on his hand had loosened since he stopped squeezing it so hard. Lilah sighed, resting her head against the four next to him so she could a nap. There was little correspondence after she texted Joe back, but she managed to get one more message before she lost signal. Joe wasn't one to text at all, so she knew that he knew something was going on and calling was not in his best intentions. _hurry._

It wasn't even with a capital letter. Lilah felt a bit uneasy about that for some reason. Joe was a stickler for grammar, even in e-mails and other forms of message. It was a small and easy mistake, but at the time, it wasn't. She hated him for it at that moment because she had to wait. Lilah was impatient when under pressure, and it just... bugged her.

He stirred, and Lilah shook away her thoughts, imagining the worst scenarios. His iron grip tensed, and Lilah squeezed back. "Anything new developing?" It was a sucky question, but she thought it was a good way to get something other than silence out of him. It didn't work. "So, I guess that we can call it nothing, huh? One we get out of here, you'll be good as new. I won't be there." Somehow it was easier to tell Storm Shadow this while he was out of it. "Joe called. He said that he needs me for something really important."

Lilah sighed. "I wouldn't expect you to understand. You were accused of killing your uncle or whatever, but I... actually did kill my parents." A small smile made its way. "It felt so good to kill them... They were beating on my brother and my sisters all the time. I was the golden child, the one that just didn't get hit." A tear slid down Lilah's cheek. "I was eighteen. I went back to my sister, and she... called me so many names, said so many things. I nearly became like them too. I almost hit my sister..." Lilah sniffled, brushing a hand under her eyes. "I don't know why I'm even telling you this."

A few minutes later, the helicopter landed. Lilah got out, helping Storm Shadow. She hefted him onto someone else's shoulders, looking at her phone. "Tell Storm that I'm sorry, alright?" The old woman nodded, and Lilah bowed respectively. She waved goodbye, hopping into the helicopter. "Take me to the ground. I'll get my own ride from there."

* * *

In jeans and a tight t-shirt with a light jacket, Lilah knocked on Joe's door. "Lilah here," she said, walking in easily. Joe dropped down behind her, and Lilah caught a fist. She pushed it down, kicking him in the chest. He grabbed her foot, and she rolled with him as he threw her back, tapping his chest in a flip. She found three Joes staring at her. "Oh... Heeeyyyy."

"Lilah, doll, meet Roadblock, Flint, and Brenda." Joe had a pen in his hand. "They're leaving now. Go on." He whistled, making them move faster. "Hurry up. Go get that proof of your treason." Lilah smirked at them as they left. "Now. We have to talk seriously."

"You called the meeting, Joe," Lilah said, crossing her arms as she took a seat on the couch, crossing one leg over the other. "Cobra Commander definitely isn't buying into me anyway. Had to get out quick." Joe looked a bit troubled as he took a seat not far from her. "What is it, General?"

"They went to your sister's house yesterday," Joe said. "Orders of the President. I had no jurisdiction. They took your son into some program that I have never heard of and have the feeling that isn't supposed to exist. Funny thing is, those Joes think the President isn't the President." He laughed slightly about that last part, Lilah staring at the table with a blank expression.

"They're right," Lilah whispered, the true meaning of what was happening beginning to settle in. "Holy shit. Zartan... Zartan has my son. Oh, God. He knows who I am, Joe. He freaking knows who I am." Lilah stood up, pacing across Joe's floor. "Oh, fuck me. Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!" She grabbed a pin, throwing it at the wall to have it sink in halfway into the wall.

"Lilah, it's okay. The Joes will get him back." Joe was next to her. Lilah shook him off.

"God. God, no. No. Fuck!" Lilah threw another pen, and Joe grabbed her arm. "Joe, where are your Joes staying? I have to know. If they're going after Zartan, then I want in. I want to have a chance to fuck him up, General!" Joe looked at her a long, long time. He handed her something, and she saw the red dot. "Thanks, General. As for the information you want... Project Prototype is still in the works. Zeus is the immediate threat." Lilah pulled a file from her bag after unzipping it. She handed it to him. "Everything I had access to put into simple wording. Black and white, General."

Joe nodded once, his eyes already skimming for information that proved too valuable. "Lilah, let them figure out who it is sending out military orders." Lilah walked to the door, opening it only to slam it shut. She looked at the technology once more, blowing a blonde curl from her face before going to her Mazda.

* * *

Lilah received a well placed hit to her face. Roadblock was standing above her. "Jesus. I'm after the same guy, brother. Joe wanted to make sure you guys didn't waste time." Lilah shifted under him. "He even gave me the device that showed your location, darling. I wouldn't give your asses up to the government when you're my best chance at getting my kid back."

"You're a mom?" It was Flint. "You don't look like one."

"I was eighteen. I'm twenty six now." Lilah was released. She stood up, brushing her clothes. "Believe me, I wouldn't want to be in this dusty place. Although, it is good cover. Abandoned, falling apart, a bit homeless. Love it."

Jaye looked her up and down. "You're the one hired to get back the Joes that went missing when Cobra took back the Prototype we managed to secure." Lilah grinned lazily. "I thought you joined Cobra."

"Ever heard of a spy?" Lilah said dryly. "Besides, do you know how boring Cobra is? It's all about destroying the world. Unless you're with Firefly. Then it ain't so much." Lilah pulled out a long belt of lilly bombs. "Made me these beauties. Six meter blast radius for the bigger ones, and three for the smaller ones." She pulled out one that could be held in two fingers. "These are the ones you wanna watch out for."

Jaye grabbed a larger one. "How does it detonate?"

Lilah pulled the detonator from her back pocket. "With this. I activate them separately though, so I would ask that you put that down." Jaye put it back. "I have to hold it in a certain spot. Uses prints, but I can be a bit paranoid. Sorry if I insinuated something." Lilah turned to look at the three of them. "What's your plan?"

"You're about to find out." The sun was setting, so Lilah honestly didn't know what to expect. A few hours of stalking, and they sent Lady Jaye in to trap him. Even Lilah was a bit jealous of her, though it didn't last long. She was still more awesome than her. At least in her mind.

Lilah sat up in the front with Flint as Roadblock took care of it in the back. He had one minute before he was out. "Hey, the kid that your boss took the other day. I want to know why." It wasn't a question.

"I-I wasn't-" He muffled a sound of pain. "I wasn't told!" Then his head fell and Lilah growled, low and deep.

"You have a seriously freaky growl," Flint said, looking at the road with an uncomfortable expression. Lilah couldn't press back the grin.

"It's supposed to be. Let's get the hell out of here."


	8. Chapter 8

Lilah spent her day getting her guns ready when her phone rang. She stared at it for a while as Flint grabbed it. "Firefly." Lilah took it in hand. "Guys, I need you to do something for me." She gave him the pistol with paint pellets meant to play as a bluff if all else failed. "Fire this. It's paint." Lilah answered it, making her breath a bit heavy.

"The fuck do you want?!" she growled, acting the part as she checked her nails casually. She was an amazing voice actress sometimes. "I have a fucking ninja on my ass, Firefly! Don't forget some little girl with a damn gun." Flint fired a shot. "Speak of the fucking devil." He fired two more from next to Lilah.

"Commander wants you to make sure Storm Shadow gets out of there, not with the Joes."

"Too late for that. I saw them sending some type of bag down the mountains before I could get them. Hell, I didn't even know they were on the mountain until then." Another shot. "Shit!" Lilah hissed. "Let me call you back." Lilah hung up with a snap to rudely end the line. She grinned at them. "I officially love all three of you. Not in a sexual way though. Don't get me wrong."

"We're well aware your panties are getting in a wad over sounding like slut," Flint joked.

"I know you'd love to unwad them, Flint, but... I don't go for scrawny kids." Lilah laughed as he feigned hurt. "Is Jaye almost done getting ready yet?" There was a yes from a corner covered by blankets and other various items. "Sorry, babe!" Lilah continued fiddling with her guns, then going to her dagger. "So, let me get this straight. I'm going in as a bodyguard to get the information, Jaye will be there to get close to the impostor, and you two are back up?"

"I wouldn't say back up," Roadblock said with a thoughtful look. "Flint is more of a ride." Lilah snorted at the comment. She slid it away, pushing it to her belt and grabbing her dagger. "What's that?"

"Dirk of sorts. My sister got it for me when I was first pregnant and ran to her." Lilah let him take a good look at it. "When I die, I only hope that this dagger makes it back to her and my son. Which could be soon, so I ask that if I do die, hand it to her in person." Lilah put it down. "I'll leave it here for tonight. Don't want anyone recognizing me for some damned dagger."

"You're not going to die," Roadblock said, checking the clip on his own gun as Jaye came from behind the curtain. "You have a boy to look after. Besides, Snake Eyes and Jinx are supposed to be here with Storm Shadow tonight."

"All the more reason for me to be gone," Lilah grumbled. "Storm is going to kill me." She dropped on the desk, regretting her decision to be there slightly. "Death by ninja sounds so unbelievable, guys. I'll be under the ground, six damned feet, and probably rotting in Hell, without a believable death!" It was a joke, and it worked to diffuse some of the tension. "Do me a favor when he gets here. Give me the biggest guns available."

* * *

Lilah stood perfectly still, waiting for the moment to get away and go to the computer upstairs. She found it when they found that Jaye was undercover.

Lilah made her way up the steps quickly and quietly. The door opening was all too easy. It was a key lock, but she knew that it was going to be rigged with a camera, so she pulled on her shades and collar, keeping her face from the camera. She sat at the computer, hooking up the hard drive that Roadblock gave her to store terabytes of data and information.

Hacking into the system was so easy after doing it so many times at the base where the security was so much tighter. She took everything she could get her hands on, even taking a risk and attempting to get into the Prototype files. It was the one thing she could never get her digital hands on, no matter how much she itched to have it for reading material. There was a sound of steps before Jaye came in. "Let's go."

"Hang on. I have to get the Prototype files," Lilah said in a low voice. "Those are the important part. Besides, none of them are printed. All of it is on the computer bases that they use. If I can get it on here," she tapped the drive. "we get what Cobra really wants." Jaye looked around outside.

"Two minutes." Lilah tried one final thing, and opened into the files with thirty seconds left. She had to wait for it to download though, and there were some pretty heavy footsteps coming upstairs. "C'mon." Lilah deleted everything that had to do with the Prototype Project, leaving behind a cat video for the scientists. She figured they would love it enough to thank her for getting rid of all of their work.

"Got it!" Lilah followed Jaye as they went down. She came out the door with Jaye to find Firefly holding his gun at Roadblock's head. She took a lilly from her pocket, pinching the "stem" and tossing it. Firefly looked down in surprise before pushing Roadblock hard enough that he was out of the blast radius, and moving quickly as she hit the detonator. "Sorry, Firefly." She reached into her pocket. "I just found that my life is a bit more valuable in other places. Thanks for the lessons! I'll use them just as you taught me!"

Flint was trying to run him over, but Firefly was on his motorcycle for escape before such a luxury could happen. Lilah took a deep breath to stop the panic. "Oh, hell." She pushed all of the Bad Bad Thoughts from her head, turning to the matter at hand. "Who's the impostor?" She already knew, but Joe said to let them figure it out themselves. So she was making sure they were right.

"Zartan."

"So that's where he was!" Lilah said as they climbed into the truck. "I never got a straight answer on that back at the base. The mother fucker." It was another lie, but she had to tell a few. It was just part of how it went for someone like her. "Now, how about we get back to the ballpark?"

* * *

Flint was pissed at some move that Roadblock made. Lilah didn't pay enough attention, her focus on getting that particular file. "You wanna remind me how knuckles are supposed to strike together?" Lilah didn't quite get what he was saying at first, too busy cleaning her guns for another war. Then she thought about it for a second, thinking in Joe terms. "Those are your words."

"I had a shot and I took it." Lilah knew better than to intervene. She knew it was best to keep her mouth shut. Roadblock and Flint were big boys, and they'd sort it out like big boys. Unless Jaye intervened. It was a total possibility that she could, and Lilah wasn't too sure she wanted to put it past her to do that. Besides, they had five days until the summit. Let the boys blow off steam if they so wish.

"Don't give me that shit!" There was a crash. "You went rogue."

"I made a call."

"And what were you going to do after that?!"

"I wasn't going to bury anymore Joes!" Lilah froze. That's why there were only three Joes on this mission. Everyone seemed to be on the same page, a moment of sadness descending down on the group. The blonde didn't realize how tight her grip was on the gun in her hand until she saw herself shaking and let it go. So many men lost over what? Nothing. "I got guns to clean."

Lilah set to work real quick. She didn't want to seem nosy or even wrong. She knew right away from the earlier interaction that it was Firefly who killed the Joes. She didn't need it to be described. It would be the whole entire reason for why he had been up so early that night. Roadblock stood beside her, cleaning guns himself. "I'm sorry about Firefly. He's an idiot and majors in being a dick."

Roadblock shook his head with a sigh. "I guess I'm just built differently from you. You can deal with all of this tension and still make jokes like it doesn't affect you-"

"It does affect me, Blockhead," Lilah said a bit too sharply. He glanced at her in surprise, eyebrows raised. "I'll have you know that all of this affects me. I can't go anywhere without being branded as an operative of Cobra, as the enemy of the world. I know that now. I'm not though, but it's how people will see me from here on out. You're a Joe, you're the good guy. A bunch of real good guys died that day..."

"I didn't peg you to be so emotional." Roadblock went back to cleaning his guns, and Lilah stopped, eyes flicking from the gun to him.

"My brother was, or is, military."

"Why don't you know?"

Lilah shrugged. "Haven't gotten around to facing my family after a huge blow up. Things were said that I can't take back. Maybe he's dead, maybe he isn't... I guess I won't ever know."

"How many siblings?"

"There were four of us in total. I had an older sister, a younger sister, and then my brother was the baby of the family." Lilah looked down at the dagger not too far away. "I barely remember anything about my younger sister. I could pick my older sister out in a sea of dyed blondes. I haven't seen bubba in so long that I barely remember what he looks like."

It was quiet for a few moments. "I'll go get Jaye and Flint." Lilah nodded. It was pleasant after that between the four of them. Lilah backed away to go get some take out pizza.

They were sitting at the table when Lilah heard something that the others heard too. She got up, taking cover behind a pillar close to the entrance. She saw who it was an relaxed immediately, though the other two in the room neglected that idea. "I think I'm faster than you, Snake Eyes," Roadblock said in his deep voice. Snake Eyes inclined his head towards his sword at Roadblock's middle. "Damn ninjas."

"So you're the famous Snake Eyes?" Lilah asked, holding a hand out in greeting. "I'm Lilah." Snake Eyes grasped it. Lilah's eyes slid to the new girl, holding her other hand out. "Lilah."

"Jinx." Lilah grinned at her. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Same, Jinx. I like that name, just saying." She pulled back from both of them as Flint came in with his gun to Storm Shadow's head. In his defense, Storm Shadow did have a blade against his neck.

"Everybody back up." Lilah did the exact opposite. She took a step forward before Roadblock grasped her arm, pulling her back easily. She scowled at him. Things like this could really piss a girl off. Especially Lilah, who didn't like to take orders from people more than twice, maybe thrice.

"He's with us," Jinx said, sticking up for him. She earned some serious brownie points.

"Stormy ain't gonna hurt anybody. Ain't in his best interest at the moment." Lilah tugged on her arm. "Okay, I get it, we had a heart to heart earlier. Can I go give him a hug to make sure he's not some asshole dressed like Storm Shadow so I can eat my pizza? It's getting cold."

Then Storm Shadow opened his mouth. "I am not with you. But, for once, I am not against you." Lilah gave him a look to tell him to shut up. Storm Shadow smirked at her, cocking his head to the side. She shook her head. Roadblock let her go, and she strode up to him, stopped only by Flint's words.

"How many of our men has he killed? We're supposed to fight with him?" Lilah refused to meet Storm Shadow's eyes for a moment, focusing on Flint. He was gazing at her, challenging her. "Who knows? Maybe he killed your baby brother."

Lilah lunged for Flint for that one. She didn't even know if her brother was alive. Storm Shadow caught her easily. "I don't even know if he's dead, Flint. So shut your trap."

"The leaders of the world will gather in three days. Acquiring the use of a child for some use I don't know of has set it back."

"We know about that, it's-"

"Jaye, Roadblock, Flint, let's go talk in this corner over here in this general area where I won't kill Flint and where Storm Shadow, Jinx, and Snake Eyes won't be allowed." She jerked her head, snaking out of Storm Shadow's grip. They walked until they were out of earshot of the other three. "No way in hell is he going to know that I had a kid. The only reason you three know is because I didn't have much choice if I wanted to establish the fact that I trust you guys and that you should trust me."

"What's so wrong with him knowing about it?" Jaye asked.

"I'm not an open person, Jaye." Lilah flicked her eyes to Storm Shadow. "Besides, that is something to use against me, not for me. If he knows, it's like telling Cobra Commander where my heart is. I don't know which side he's on." The blonde saw him staring at them. "Let me position myself so the son of a bitch can't read my lips. Anyway, it's something he can't find out like that. I have to be the one to tell him, and even then I'm waiting on him to jet."

"Fine," Roadblock said. "No one tells. You have twenty four hours to tell him, Lilah."

"Got it," Lilah mumbled as they walked away. She strolled back. "Continue, Stormy. I'm going to take my pizza and go out for a walk." Lilah grabbed a box, leaving the old arena. She walked down the road a bit before opening the box to an extra cheesy pizza. She picked up a piece, grabbing her phone from her pocket and seeing that she has a message.

_She's waiting. -Joe_


	9. Chapter 9

_She's waiting. -Joe_

Lilah got up, holding the box with one hand and making to her Mazda. She got in, starting the engine to see someone in the back. "Not now, Storm Shadow."

"How long?"

"I only started sharing about a day ago." Lilah wasn't going to not tell him. "I've been talking to Joe for a while." Lilah waited for him to talk, to ask another question to make her out as a traitor. "Look, I don't expect you to understand-"

"Do they know about your parents?" Lilah froze, looking at him in utter surprise. "It lessened the pain when I focused on your voice. Getting burns like that isn't easy." He tried a smile at her, but Lilah barely noticed the stray tear at remembering that awful time. He reached forward, then thought better of it. Lilah faced the front. "What about the child is so important that you don't want me to know."

Lilah stared at the wheel. "I'm not going to be open, Storm Shadow. I'm trying to go meet someone important to me. Important enough that I'm leaving without the Joes knowing. So go tell them for me, will ya?" He didn't move. "Storm..." Lilah shook her head, taking a bite from her pizza. "At least I got pizza. It'll work as peace offering if I don't eat the whole damn thing."

Lilah knew she wouldn't. Eating that one piece was hard enough as she drove to Joe's house. When her sister was set on seeing someone or doing something, she'd be damned if she didn't see someone or do something. Lilah was the same way as long as it didn't involve cleaning, which her sister could even stand. Lilah sometimes wondered how they were related because of that. The last time Lilah cleaned the cabin had been months ago, and it was her sister who did the cleaning.

She pulled to a stop in front of Joe's house, her heart beating hard. She didn't want to mask her emotions, so she didn't. She looked back at Storm Shadow. "Stay or go, I don't care. Just don't take my car." She got up, taking the keys with her. The slamming of a door alerted her to Storm Shadow's following. Lilah knocked on the door twice. "Lilah's here." It didn't have the same pop or energy as it did before, filled with nerves and a frailness to Lilah that Storm Shadow had never seen. Even when Joan died, Lilah was a fighting mess.

She stepped through the threshold, and he followed. Lilah was relying on him for support in case something happened. Lilah came into the living room to see a dyed blonde with green eyes that they shared, and the same nose. Her sister had been in the middle of a sentence when Lilah came in, so her mouth was open as she put down her water slowly. "Hey, sissy." It came out far shakier than Lilah would have liked, but it worked regardless. "I'd almost forgotten what you looked like, Hillary."

Hillary Myuu was across the room before another word came out of Lilah's mouth, and she held onto her sister for dear life. Lilah felt tears coming over her, reaching back for Storm Shadow. When Hillary hugged you, it could mean different things. Either you fucked up real bad, or you fucked up so bad that she wasn't mad. It meant she fucked up real bad, because a moment later, Hillary slapped her. "Where the hell were you, Annabelle Zaltana! I couldn't even get your fingerprints from the police department! No pictures, no dental records, nothing existed about you in the digital database!"

Lilah looked up at her sister who was a bit taller than her. "I was going around. I picked up Spanish, so I went to the Spanish speaking countries for a while. Went to France, Italy, made a few stops in Japan and China-"

"I wasn't being literal, you idiot." Hillary leaned back. "Bubba! Come here!" More flutters in Lilah's stomach ensued as her brother poked his head out of the bathroom, steam billowing out. "Second thought, please get dressed. I changed your diapers." Lilah couldn't help the grin as she marched her way across the living room to the bathroom. She didn't care if her brother was in a towel. He didn't either, because he accepted her into his arms easily.

"I have to be dreaming," Hibiki Myuu whispered in her ear. He had the same green eyes too, a trait all of them seemed to receive. "I just... My big sister is here. My big sister who was so, so... sophisticated. Since when did you wear jeans in public?"

"Since when were you so big?" He grinned at her. "Oh, pretty confident there, huh? I bet one of my tits is bigger than your penis. Even then, I'm sure one of these boys can beat you. They have to be bigger than a grape."

Hibiki laughed, his dark hair getting in his eyes. "Oh, I missed you." Lilah smiled up at him. She knew Hibiki would take her back. He always did. Hell, she only talked with Hibiki like this. They could admit anything to each other. Then he caught someone just a bit past her, staring at them while Hillary circled him, poking the hilt of his katana.

"Yo, is this real?" she asked loudly, calling to Lilah. Lilah held up a finger, wanting to tell her not to do that before deciding to deal with little brother before he got in a fight with the big, bad ninja. Well, more like got his ass kicked by the big, bad ninja. "What about these?" Hillary was now fingering the shuriken.

"Hey, he's a friend," Lilah said to her brother. She pulled his face to hers. "He's a friend. A great friend who is going to help us get Aron back. He doesn't know though, so I have to pull him aside and bring him up to speed. Can you not be an overprotective prick long enough to let me do that?" Hibiki clenched his teeth, but held his tongue. He nodded once.

"Stormy, come over- Hillary, if you annoy him, I might just let him kill you. Leave the damn- Hillary!" Sometimes Lilah felt like the older sister. She grabbed Hillary and plopped her down on the couch, a finger in her face. "Don't touch pointy things! They penetrate deep, Hillary." They both laughed. "Seriously, don't piss him off. He'll kill me like a bug, boo."

"You're family is very colorful," Storm Shadow said when they were in the kitchen. Lilah grabbed another piece of pizza as her brother found it and brought it into the living room. "You all have the same green eyes."

"Yeah," Lilah said, pushing a stray curl behind her ear. "We sure do. It just doesn't seem right sometimes. We got the green eyes, but Lilah didn't have them. The first Lilah, not me... Long story. Anyway, before we go in there, you have to know something. When I was eighteen, I was violated. I gave birth nine months later to Aron Thomas Myuu, my son." Lilah took a deep breath. "Zartan has my son."

Storm Shadow seemed to look through her. "So that's what this is about. That's where all of your money goes." Lilah nodded. He looked down, and Lilah smiled. "I didn't think that you'd be a mother."

"I'm a mother. Not a mom. Hillary has been taking care of Aron, not me. She's the mom." There was an impatient noise. "Time's up. Let's go." Lilah began to walk away when Storm Shadow seized her elbow and drew her close. "Storm-"

"Don't worry about me," he said softly. "I heard you on the flight. Don't worry about me again." He let her go, and Lilah let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Let's go." He was in the living room before Lilah's mind caught up with reality. Then she came stumbling into the living room, sitting on Hibiki's lap. She leaned back into him, grabbing his hand like she used to when they were children and reading his palm.

"So, how are we going to get Aron back?" Hillary asked.

Lilah raised a brow. "'We?' There is no 'we', sissy, because you can barely hold a gun. I say that Storm Shadow and I should go in. A two man operation, in and out real quick. Hibiki can be our back up if anything happens. You, Hillary, can be calm and stay here until Aron is back in your arms."

"False, sister," Hillary and Hibiki said at the same time. Hillary continued, "You have been absent from your son for eight years, Annabelle. You can't run from this-"

"Run?" Lilah sat up. "You think I'm running? Hillary, I'm a killer! Do you think I want my son to be like me?! Do you think that I want him to have to imagine all of these years with a sister that's dead, then wake up and find that they were fake? Better yet, do you want him to make a living off doing what I do? I fucking don't."

Hibiki slapped Lilah's thigh hard enough to make her feel bad for snapping at her sister. Hillary has tears at the corner of her eyes. Lilah sighed, going to her and pulling her into her arms. "I'm sorry, sis. I just can't be around yet." Lilah sighed. "You probably aren't even used to seeing me yet. I shouldn't scare you."

"I thought I was the older sister," Hillary said in a small voice. Lilah considered it for a moment before they both laughed. "Quick to anger, quick with words. I missed you."

"Who wouldn't?" Lilah grinned a cocky one. She heard her phone during and looked at the message. "Son of a flying monkey. Storm, I think they missed us. Proves my point... wait. Ah, hell! They're going to think we went back to Cobra!" Lilah moved her sister on the cheek and her brother's forehead before grabbing the ninja by the arm. "Let's go."


	10. Chapter 10

Lilah opened the door to the inside, breathing hard. Flint was glaring at her, and Jaye and Roadblock were going through her bag. "Emergency family meeting at Joe's place. He's asleep, so we came back. My siblings are probably going to stay the night with him... What are you doing?"

"Making sure you aren't Cobra," Roadblock said in a tone that made Lilah groan. "Can you blame us?"

"No, actually," she replied. "Fine. Pat me down, go through my bags. Leave the dagger alone." She caught Jaye's eye as the woman eyed it. "Leave the dagger alone. If I hid something on it, you have full permission to burn my ass alive, starting with my arm after you tear it off."

"What about the ninja?" Flint asked, not so subtle. Lilah sent a piercing green glare his way. "Fine, fine. Dagger is innocent and won't be touched." Just to make sure, Lilah took her dagger and the sheath, placing it in her waist band. "Where did the pizza go?"

"I took a box with me. Peace offering for my brother and sister." Lilah knelt down by the door, pulling a hidden box out. She took a piece, noticing everyone staring at her. She grinned, raising the pizza up in a wave. Flint was making his way towards her. "You know what would be awesome right now? Some margaritas."

"There is a bar not too far away," Jaye said in a sly voice. "Jinx, wanna come with us?" Lilah grinned, standing up with the box in hand and offering a piece to the other women. "Let's go shopping. How much cash do you have, Lilah?"

"More than enough to get some hot new clothes," Lilah said, pulling a wad of bills from her pocket. "Lucky for us, some stores stay open all night when I'm around."

Flint was getting his shoes on like he was going, and Jaye shook her head. Roadblock was looking at them like he couldn't believe what they were doing. Snake Eyes was posting more attention to his meditation. Storm Shadow was not giving any of them an all too happy look. "See you later, boys!"

Lilah hopped into the driver's seat, Jaye taking the seat next to her and Jinx jumping into the back. "So, girls, we are going to go break a couple doors and leave a bit of cash for them. Remember, don't drink too much." Lilah managed to keep a straight face until that last but when she started laughing. "Who am I kidding? Drinks on me!"

* * *

Lilah knew that the three of them looked like best friends that night. They were already drinking a bit when they got to the bar, each in civilian clothes. Jaye was in pants that were comfortably right with a task top, hair down. Lilah straightened her hair in the bathroom of McDonald's, wearing cut off real short Jean shorts and a tank like Jaye. Jinx wore t-shirt with pants, and she pulled it off in a way that made Lilah a bit impressed.

The trio danced with their arms around each other's waists, forming a kick line. Lilah laughed as Jaye stumbled to the side when Jinx fell. Lilah knew she should have stopped drinking hours before, probably when they started playing beer pong and other games, but now that she was smashed, she didn't really regret it. She was having too much fun to regret it.

"Girls, it's time for closing," the bartender said, cleaning up. "You can have one more drink, then you gotta go." Lilah stumbled over, throwing the shot back as it slid like water. She passed one to Jaye, who was poking a passed out Jinx. The bartender grabbed the keys that Lilah gave up at the beginning of the night, helping them to the Mazda.

"Where should I drop you off?" The bartender asked. Lilah grabbed the throw away phone they bought for half off. Good thing Lilah could was good at leaving no evidence behind. She flipped open the phone, the light of her car hurting her eyes. She scrolled down to Roadblock's number, hitting call and handing it to the bartender.

Lilah was barely awake when someone touched her shoulder, jolting her up. She smiled sleepily when she saw Storm Shadow. He pulled her out of the car, carrying her down to the darkness of the arena. She could see Jaye and Jinx next to each other, totally going to have a major hangover the next morning.

"Stormy?" Lilah didn't get an answer back, but knew it was okay to continue on. "Do you think I can get my son back?"

"I'm sure you can. You're a bit too stubborn not to get him back." Lilah smiled, comforted as her eyes drifted closed. "No more girls' night, Lilah."

"I'm Annabelle. Lilah was my sister. Mom and dad beat her to death when we spilled mom's medications down the sink." A tear feel from the corner of her eye as Storm Shadow set her down. "Oh, God... What will they do when they see me like this?"

"Go to sleep. Your parents can't touch you any more." Lilah doubted him, but was out of it within a second or two.

* * *

Storm Shadow had been slightly worried about Lilah. She was going out drinking after meeting with her family? He wanted to follow the trio, but Snake Eyes signaled that it wasn't such a good idea. Lilah wouldn't like him spying on her, and it would make Jaye suspicious. Snake Eyes thought that maybe Jinx would kick him for it. So Storm Shadow waited for her.

"Why are you so worried?" Flint asked after a while. "Did something happen with the family?"

Storm Shadow moved slightly, sitting down in a bit more comfortable position. "She feels violently. Everything I've seen her feel has been to the extremes." He looked towards the door, hoping to see her walk through. "Her son is currently in Zartan's hands. That is enough to be worried. Her violent nature can make it worse than it has to be."

Flint nodded, getting the point. "Well, Jaye's with her, so how much trouble can she get into?" Roadblock and Snake Eyes both gave him looks. "Okay, that isn't the most comforting thought after all. But they do have Jinx... Snakes, how bad is Jinx?"

Snake Eyes shook his head. Storm Shadow smiled slightly. Lilah should have been with these people, not with Cobra. She was a genuinely good person. Her interests did include shooting people, but that was a mere technicality. Storm Shadow moved again, unable to stay in one spot. Snake Eyes looked at him before going back to what he was doing. "So, Storm, how was Lilah back in Cobra?"

"She spent most of her time with either myself or Firefly. I was actually able to stand being in the same room as Firefly and Zartan for more than five minutes because of her. She likes horror movies, but jumps no matter what. She goes through books incredibly quickly. Basically, she was a social butterfly who could spend her time about anywhere. Then Joan came along."

"Joan?"

"A friend of Lilah's," Storm Shadow elaborated. "She died while in our custody. Lilah didn't look me straight in the eye for at least a week. I had to steal her book and watch incredibly boring movies with her. I was being blamed for a death all over again."

It was quiet after that, the Joes going to sleep while Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow chose to stay awake. Snake Eyes signed a question. *Why do you care so much?*

"She's different."

*How different?*

"Different enough for me to care." Storm Shadow snapped his eyes to Snake Eyes. "What does it matter to you?"

*You care. How isn't it important, brother?* It was usually used as a derogatory term, but for once, it didn't seem so derogatory. *Lilah is definitely a one of a kind person.*

"She cares. She tries not to push things, but sometimes certain things just come out of her mouth."

*Certain things?*

"Often perverted," Storm Shadow conceded. "Though she does try to say things intelligent that turn out perverted. Snake Eyes, don't even start."

*Already did.* Storm Shadow rolled his eyes, a sign that he probably spent a bit too much time with Lilah. Snake Eyes smiled, and say up a bit straighter. *How do you plan to get the boy?*

"Zartan has him under his wing," Storm Shadow started. "I have to first find where he is being kept, then I have to get Hibiki, her brother, and manage some type of plan. Zartan will expect Lilah, but he won't expect her backup."

*It would be better if I went. You should stay in Cobra's good graces.* Storm Shadow didn't say anything to that. *He will probably be at the summit, you know. As will the rest of the Joes.*

"The Prototype Project shouldn't be able to keep the human body going after death," Storm Shadow said. "But somehow they have managed to bring the dead back and then keep them going without constant injections. It shouldn't be possible."

*But it is. I know a Joe when I see a Joe. The boy is probably there to see how it works on living humans.*

"It has already been tested on living humans. Most died, only a few survived. Per batch. They're testing it in children. He will eventually be just one of many." Storm Shadow got up as Lilah's phone rang. Storm Shadow took one look at the idea and kicked one of the Joes awake.

"Huh?"

"Answer the phone. It is Zartan, and he will most likely boast about where the child is being held. Answer it." Flint grabbed it at the mention of his enemy, hitting the answer button quickly.

"You've reached 1-800-Go to hell, this is Satan speaking," Flint said in a perfectly normal voice. Storm Shadow would have never guessed he was asleep. Flint was even generous enough to put it on speaker phone so all could hear.

"So it is true. Lilah is with the Joe's." Zartan chuckled in the President's voice, unnerving all of them, even Roadblock as he woke up. "I guess she found out who killed her friend then? I have to say that it's particularly hard to find any associates of hers. But I did."

"We don't accept offers to kill our friends," Flint said. "Besides, Lilah isn't home right now. So if we could take a message, that'd be great." Flint didn't like it, Storm Shadow observed. He didn't like that Zartan sounded entirely too much like the executive leader.

"Tell her that I've got her little boy. If she doesn't come back to Cobra for death by the needle, he will be injected with something that hurts an awful lot. I've seen and heard adults scream to death because of it." The line went dead, and the boys all shared a glance, except Storm Shadow, who didn't quite know what to do. He couldn't not tell Lilah, but he couldn't at the same time, knowing exactly what she would do.

"So... we either send Lilah with a bow to her death... or we let the kid die? I'm stuck. How're we going to win this one?"


	11. Chapter 11

Lilah groaned as someone shook her awake. She pulled the blanket over her, covering her eyes from the light. The person shaking her chuckled above her, and she felt the cover pulled off easily. Lilah growled, pulling her shirt over her eyes. "Come on, Lilah. You have to get up. We need to go meet Hillary and Hibiki." He lightly tapped her ribs with his foot.

"Fuck you," Lilah replied, giving him the bird. He sighed, picking her up in his arms. "Nope! Lemme down!" She kicked out, and the person chuckled again. "I thought I was being a good person, Stormy." She pouted, her lip jutting out dramatically for the sake of it. She was so tired, but she could live. If it was for this group and for son, she could stay awake forever.

"You have been," Storm Shadow agreed. "But we have to go talk to them about something really serious. Zartan called your phone last night. I want both of your siblings to hear about this. We will have a civilized conversion about it, and then we will proceed from there."

Lilah growled. "Grab my sunglasses, then hand me my phone. It records every conversion for later analysis." She held her hand out as he set Lilah on the ground. She felt her sunglasses first, putting them on quickly. She should not have drank so much. Storm Shadow refused her phone. "Stormy, give me my phone." He passed it to Flint. Who passed out to Jaye. Who passed it to Jinx. Who passed it to Roadblock. Who passed it to Snake Eyes. "Guys..."

"You don't need the distraction," Jaye said, throwing her a few pills. "So, take those with the water bottle over there, and get going. We will take care of other factors, including a plan. Any in particular that you would like to have?"

"I'll ask Joe about my bird." Lilah left, going to her Mazda and taking the passenger seat. Storm Shadow drove, obviously having memorized the path Lilah took. She dozed on the way, coming to attention when the car stopped. She lifted her head, opening the door and stepping out. "So what's the problem, Stormy? Don't give me that look. I'm not that blonde."

"We'll talk about it inside," was his short reply. Lilah snorted. "Lilah..."

"Fuck you." She opened the door. "Lilah here!" The blonde stepped into the living room, the area feeling tense. She looked around for a while. "Should I have brought a peace offering? Because I can go get one now."

"Zaltana," her sister said, using her middle name. "Sit down. Shut up." Lilah sat down, keeping quiet real quick. When Hillary used her middle name, the name she actually preferred to Annabelle, it meant business. Same went for Hibiki, but using Hillary's middle name was a death sentence. She loathed her middle name. Especially since her parents never even gave it to her. The nurses pulled up a name generator for all of them, picking a decent one for each of them. Hillary Griselda, Annabelle Zaltana, Lilah Lilac, and Hibiki Evan.

"Storm Shadow," Hibiki addressed the ninja. "Why did you call us so early? I'm usually asleep until noon, and it's ten o'clock." Hibiki was trying to make it fun. He was the baby of the family, the one who never got the full story because of his overly protective older sisters, and the one who got it easy because of that too. Lilah knew it was his way of coping, his way of dealing with serious matters that he couldn't pummel into the ground.

"Yesterday, while Lilah was out, we got a phone call from Zartan. If you've crossed Zartan, you wouldn't know. He's a master of disguise, perfect in every mask." Storm Shadow leaned against the door frame. "He's offering a deal. We can either hand Lilah over for... testing, or he will test Aron." Lilah's gaze snapped to her friend.

"Hang on, I wasn't told that an offer was made." She stood up. "Because if it was, then I need to go right now. Like, this very second. As in, give me the fucking keys-"

"Sis, calm down." Hibiki grabbed her shoulders, and she tensed up. "Before we go around making deals, we need to contact him. I prefer details, as you've known from my many times of cracking your diary." He grinned down at her, and Lilah couldn't help it. She grinned back up at him, missing the feeling of being with her brother. She could spend years and years with Storm Shadow and Firefly, but it would never quite feel like this.

Storm Shadow pulled out her phone. Lilah rolled her eyes. Of course Snake Eyes passed it back to Storm Shadow. What else would he do with it? It was on speaker phone, and Lilah knew how she was going to play it. She put up two fingers, forming a V. It was their sign to shut the fuck up or everything would go down in ruins. "Lilah, darling, I thought you would never call back now that you're with the Joes."

"With the Joes?" Lilah asked in a disgusted voice. "Please. Do you know how annoying those people were? I had to work to get their trust. Didn't think they would ever accept me until I threw a lily at Firefly. Say, can you apologize for me? I had to brush up on my acting skills." Hibiki raised a brow, and Lilah motioned for him to wait a while longer. She would have to tell them about the Joes, but they became such a tight mouthed group that she wasn't really worried.

"Nice to know you're still Cobra then. I suppose they told you I was trying to cut a deal?"

This was the test. "Yeah, something about my kid. However, my kid is dead, doll." She hesitated. "Plus, I'm not a fucking lab rat. If you wanna test something out on me, I suggest you kill me first. I don't take kindly to fucking needles."

Zartan chuckled, and Lilah shared a nervous glance with Storm Shadow. He nodded, and she felt a good deal of tension leave her. "Sadly, Lilah, you're an asset. So either get to the White House with Storm Shadow in tow, or you will take a needle." Lilah hung up, and stood. She shared a glance with her siblings. "I'll get him out. I'm not going to leave my son to those..." She didn't finish.

"Go on," Hibiki said. "I'll help get him out. Just toss him to me, and run."

"Well, it won't take long to get him anyway. Where's Joe?"

"Right here," he said from the kitchen. "I'm trying to decide what I want for lunch and dinner." Lilah laughed. "Bird's out back. I'll get Hibiki to hit me later if you like." Lilah nodded, turning to the ninja, who threw two sets of keys towards her. Lilah hit the button under the cushion on his armchair, and heard it coming from the ground in the back.

"Hey, baby. I missed you so much."

* * *

Lilah landed the plane so Hibiki could see everything easily. Hillary was going to stay at Joe's place until they came back, and probably until a little bit after the summit if Lilah could help it. Storm Shadow had gone in before her, saying that she was checking to debug the plan in case. They knew Lilah to do something like that. The last time she didn't, she ended in Cobra. "What's the plan?"

Hibiki didn't blink. "You're going to go in, and Storm Shadow will distract Zartan until I can set off the alarm. You'll fend off as many as you can until Aron and I are a good deal away, then Storm Shadow will make a show of fighting you. You'll try to get away, barely managing it in the plane with both me and Aron on board."

"How are you going to set off the alarm?"

"I'm going to shoot down the guard up at the front and barge in, using a paralyze gun to shoot down anyone in my way." Lilah nodded. "I also have to wait about thirty minutes for you to find him."

"Good boy." Lilah left, closing it and making sure no one but she could get in it to find Hibiki there. Her blond hair was curled, pinned back in a ponytail. She came to the entrance, met by Storm Shadow and Zartan posing as the President. "Hope you didn't miss me too much, boys."

Zartan smirked, and Lilah felt her heart go faster as her imagination started getting the better of her. "Storm Shadow, cuff her." Lilah tried not to show the surprise on her face, taking this to be a test of sorts. "Make sure it's tight." Lilah scoffed, throwing the usual 'what the hell' card. "Lilah, you are sentenced to joining the Prototype Program, testing the new serum."

"What the hell are you fucking talking about?!" Lilah demanded, twisting and struggling in Storm Shadow's arms. "I demand answers, you-" She was cut off by Storm Shadow's hand slamming over her mouth. He had an unreadable expression even as the blond beauty bit him, tasting something metallic in her mouth. He took the tape someone offered, slapping it over her mouth so she couldn't be heard.

"You should've been careful," Zartan said. "You didn't think we wouldn't bother with a DNA test?" Lilah glared at him as she was taken away to the back, struggling in Storm Shadow's arms.

This was not part of the plan.

Storm Shadow threw her on the ground, closing the cell doors and locking them. "What are you doing, Storm Shadow?! I thought-"

"You thought wrong. I wouldn't jeopardize my place in Cobra for some kid." Her phone vibrated in her back pocket, and she ignored it. "Have fun with your mother, Aron." Lilah looked back, everything beginning to click into place. She saw a boy, eight years old with big green eyes and dark hair. Lilah's breath caught as she gazed upon her son for the first time since he was a few weeks old.

"I was expecting a bit more out of my mother," he grumbled after a while. "I was hoping you'd actually get me out of here. What a great mother you are."

Lilah couldn't help but be slightly angry and slightly amused. "Well, you see, I kind of have this thing called a reputation. And I had a plan, but it just went down the fucking- holy shit, is that the President?"

"Yep," Aron said after a moment. "He ain't doin' so much down here though." Aron slammed his hand against the wall, getting the President's attention. "Mr. Pres, meet my mom. Well, the woman who gave birth to me. My mom is probably coming up with an actual plan with Uncle Hibiki." He was playing with cards, and Lilah immediately recognized the game.

"Solitaire? I didn't know children played that game today."

"You learn a few things when you're a prisoner."

"Well, I tried to get you out. I thought he bought it, but he didn't. What else do you want me to do, kid?"

"Actually get me out and back to the people who care."

Lilah went still. "So I don't care? Kid, if I didn't fucking care, would I be sitting in this fucking cell with you?! Would I have asked Joe to watch your fucking house?! I don't have that many favors because of the measures I've gone to just for you to sit here and bad mouth me. You've got fucking guts, but don't fucking say that I don't care."

"Mom doesn't think you care."

"Your mother also thinks that dying her hair blonde is healthy."

"She thinks that you're running away from yourself."

"Tch. Yeah, that's why I came back when they really needed me. That's why I don't make them call me Lilah."

"You're a bi-"

"I will still hit you, child." Lilah slammed her head against the wall. "What the fucking hell possessed me to have a child? One of me is bad enough!" She hesitated. "Is it bad that I suddenly have respect for both Hillary and Hibiki, Mr. President?"

"Not at all. I'm respecting them too now."


	12. Chapter 12

Lilah sat in the cell with her son and the real President in silence. She had slept, she had dreamed, she had insulted the men there with her. She had done everything short of breaking herself out in the last five hours. She saw that night was coming when Zartan came down, gloating and being his usual cocky self. Lilah stood as he came near the cell, putting herself between Zartan and Aron.

Aron stood up too, but he seemed ready to fight Zartan off with as much aggression as an eight year old could have. He wasn't afraid, and Lilah knew it to be a quality he got from his uncle. She'd be having a conversation with Hibiki when she got out. The door opened, and they grabbed Lilah. She allowed them to take her, motioning for Aron to stay where he was. Lilah stood in front of Zartan, staring straight in the eye. She saw that the President was being taken away for the time being. Probably some type of torture.

"You are a great actress, Lilah, truly." Lilah rolled her eyes. "You would have done such a better job if you hadn't said your son was dead. Now I can't trust anything you say." He snapped his fingers, and Lilah watched as a needle came near. "Tell me, Lilah, would you rather go through the intense pain that's the Prototype Project, or put your son through the pain?"

"Hmm..." Lilah pretended to think about it. "Considering that it probably won't hurt him to watch me go through it, other than cause him a lot of trauma, I'd rather go through the Prototype Project." Lilah stepped closer. "But I want you to know, Zartan, when I get the full strength that those stupid little parasites give, I will com eafter you with everything I've got."

"The parasites also control the brain. You'll think I'm a friend, or maybe a father, or maybe a lover. You are quite beautiful."

"Leave her alone!" Aron yelled. Lilah turned to her son, giving him an eye to back down. Aron swallowed, but seemed to get the idea. At least he got that from her.

"And your son... Oh, your son." Zartan entered the cell, getting closer to the child. Lilah jerked towards him. "I could put him through it too. We've subjected enough teens to know he has a probability of surviving with a sixty three chance of losing his memory. He wouldn't recognize anyone, even if he saw them only three seconds before. The parasite can keep certain people in his memory."

"Fuck off my son," Lilah said. She had no chance of protecting him with the amount of muscle in this room. But she wouldn't mind dying.

From behind Zartan, a familiar figure came into view. Lilah was released, and she rubbed her arms, popping her neck and knuckles. She knew what Firefly wanted, and she would give it to him.

Her leg struck out, aiming for his rub cage. First caught her ankle, and Lilah fell backwards in a back bend, her other foot coming up to kick his wrist. A curse left his mouth, and Lilah landed really, standing up straight. She used speed to her advantage, faking a right punch to the gut before going left to break his nose.

Firefly grabbed her wrists, twisting them around to between her shoulder blades in a way that made the blonde gasp. She twisted and struggled, attempting to get away. She was pushed to the floor, looking up at her old friend. Lilah was breathing heavily at the end of the barrel. "Is this the part where I beg for mercy for the sake of friendship, Firefly?"

"No. This is the part where I blow your face in and laugh. Sweet dreams, bitch."

The door opened, and Lilah's attention was diverted. She pulled a gun off one of the guards, shooting Firefly as the guard went down. She hit his shoulder, and Aron ran towards the stairs. "Hurry up, sis!" Lilah made her way up the stairs as shots came all around. Hibiki took a shot in the leg, and Lilah took half of his weight, going in the direction of the plane.

There were more shots fired, and Lilah covered Aron's body with her own, around the corner of the building. Hibiki jerked again, and fell down. "Shit! Hibiki, let's go." Lilah was picking him up when he took the gun from her, pushing her away. "Hibiki!" She moved towards him again, and he pushed her away again, shooting at the guards coming.

"Go!" Lilah swallowed back tears, knowing her hardheaded brother. Aron was looking between the two, and Hibiki put something in Lilah's hand. The blonde blinked, and picked up her son as he yelled and kicked. She ran, hearing another few shots before a certain one stopped his. She let out a violent sob, letting her son down so she didn't fall and let her brother...

He wasn't dead. Shut the fuck up, Lilah.

She continued running, thinking that Storm Shadow would get him out for her. "Get in!" She threw her son inside. "Buckle up." She hopped into the cockpit, getting ready to take off. "Are you buckled?"

"Yeah!" She pulled up, and they were off, leaving behind Cobra and her brother.

* * *

"Aron!" Hillary pulled the boy into her arms tightly, Lilah sitting a bit off with her shades on. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Scratches, bruises, broken ribs, anything?" More questions were pelted off from Hillary, and Aron was white and shaking. After a thorough inspection, Aron trying to break the news, her attention diverted to her sister. "Annabelle?"

Lilah kept her mouth shut, not quite trusting herself. She was waiting for Hillary to realize something was missing. True to her thought process, Hillary stood up, looking for the missing face. "Where's Hibiki? Where's our brother?!"

"Mom... Uncle Hibiki..." Aron dissolved into a blubbering mess, and Hillary closed her eyes, shushing him. When she opened them again, Lilah knew she was going to get the blame again. Her green eyes were a flaming fury, an accusation. Aron wrapped his arms around Hillary's waist as she stood up, wanting nothing more than to hit her younger sister. Lilah kept a cool face.

"You've got your son back. Have a wonderful life."

"So you're going to just walk away again? You know what, I shouldn't want that, but I do. I really want to see you walk away after what you allowed to happen. You probably wanted Hibiki-"

"If you're going to make this about mom and dad, then shut the fuck up, Hillary Griselda. I don't give a fucking hell how you feel about me killing me, but I do give a damn that you make a scene in front of my son."

"The son that you haven't been around since he was five weeks old!"

"Because if I didn't leave him, then he'd have people all over him!" Joe was trying to stop Lilah before she said something she regretted. "And you know what? Had I stayed around, no one would've been able to take him away from me!"

"That's not fair."

"And you blaming me for mom and dad is? I'm so sorry that they wanted to kill your fucking nephew, or should I call him your son? You've obviously turned him against me."

"It isn't always about you."

"Bullshit. You're such a damn lie, Hillary. When we were younger, I remember you blaming me for all sorts of shit. You broke the vase, but you said I did. You took the last cookie, but you blamed me. Better yet, do you remember when you blamed me for that time you were caught with a drink? And I didn't say shit, because I took all of it for you!"

Hillary detached Aron from herself. "So fucking mature, Hillary. What're you gonna do? Hit me? Go right on ahead. Because once Zartan is dead, I'm volunteering for the fucking Proto-"

It wasn't Hillary who hit Lilah. Joe did. She stumbled back, glaring at the retired general. He gave her a disapproving glance, and she felt slight guilt. "You know better than to let your sister manipulate you like that. You shouldn't say things you don't mean in front of your son anyway." Lilah shook her head. "Even if you would, I won't let you."

"You don't control my life either, Joe. Just wait. You'll see me being the demon I was meant to be." Lilah turned to her son as he wrapped his arms around her, scaring the hell out of her. "Aron...?"

"Don't do it."

"Do what?"

"Say that you'll be in that stupid program." Lilah's slight guilt swallowed her. "They're cruel and mean and everything you shouldn't be, mommy." Lilah saw the jealous look from Hillary and knew that she had never been referred to as "mommy" in all of her years of watching the boy for her sister. "You're not like them. You can't be. Uncle Hibiki told me that were kind, protective, always there for people you cared about... Didn't you ever care about me?"

Now Lilah felt like shit over shit. She closed her eyes, taking off her shades as she knelt to his height. "I have always cared. But Uncle Hibiki was wrong about me. I know you don't want to think that, but it's true." His eyes filled with more tears. "I'll tell you what. You and I will have a mother/son day when all of this is over. I'll come pick you up and we'll go wherever you want."

"Even Disney World?"

"When summer comes around, you and I will go for a whole week... One of these days anyway. It might be a few years first." As in when he was older and Lilah gained full control of the parasite inside. It hadn't been done before, but she was good at that type of thing. "I'm going to have to pony up the dough... Hey, how about we go meet a few friends of mine? You can decide if they go with us to Disney World." His eyes lit up at the idea of spending time with his brother. "I'm going to call them, and we'll go meet up for pizza."

"No, you won't. We have a funeral to plan, thanks to you." Lilah turned to Hillary. "Or did you forget? You're so selfish."

"Leave mommy alone!"

"Stop it," Lilah said to Aron. "Aunt Hillary, mom, whatever, has the right to yell at me." She pressed her lips to his forehead. "But, we can't be sure yet. The bad guys are really, really good at getting what they want. Right now, they want me to be a test subject." She pulled her phone out, calling Jaye. "Yo, yo, yo. I need a ride. Stormy ain't comin' back. I've got Aron, so I figured we could go for pizza tonight."

_"Alright... You do know that the summit was moved to tomorrow, right?" _Lilah was quiet. _"We're going to need your siblings to leave Joe's place. He's agreed to arm us."_

"Jaye... Hibiki isn't here either." It was silent for along time on the other line, and Lilah thought that Jaye had hung up. "Jaye?"

"_I'm sorry," _Jaye said. _"Pizza?"_

_"_Damn right."


	13. Chapter 13

Lilah was glad to spend so much time with her son. Jaye and the others knew that Lilah had everything she needed in the bird, especially since her whole part was in the air. Hillary didn't speak to her when she dropped Aron off, but the boy did give his mother a tight hug before going back to his aunt. Lilah knew that Hillary was furious when he said, "Hey, Aunt Hillary." She had to laugh.

Aron was pretty similar to Lilah and Hibiki. He looked a lot like Hibiki, but Lilah knew the dark hair came more from his father than it did from her brother. They talked about what happened, about what he knew of the Prototype Project, and how important it was that he didn't tell anybody about what happened. She even explained to him that she would probably have to disappear for a while. He said he would wait no longer how long it took. She made a promise, and she would see it through.

Lilah sat in her plane waiting for the signal to go. Everyone else got to kill a whole bunch of people, but Lilah was left out in that. She had to sit in a plane and be the ride out if things got serious. The blonde could not wait for this to be over, especially since Storm Shadow promised it would be a long and painful death for Zartan. Didn't help that he agreed to help out around her place when he could, so she felt indebted to him. Hence why she was still in the plane.

It was a pretty tight place. Not to mention that they managed to grab food on the way out. She had fried chicken, pizza, ice cream, chips, and a pack of cigarettes if she got really stressed. Lilah didn't care for smoking often. It was just when she honestly needed to calm down. She smoked when Joan died, and that was the last time. Her hands were itching for one then, but she didn't want to get addicted to smokes because of her brother. He'd probably feel like shit wherever he is.

"Lilah?" Jinx said through the comm. "Is it possible for the Prototype Project to bring back the dead?"

"As long as there was something to bring back," Lilah replied to her. She wouldn't be surprised if the Joes were alive. "Do I need to go pick someone up? You have to get the world leaders out as quick as possible, Jinx."

"They're... coming towards you, Lilah. Hibiki is among them." Lilah cursed, taking out her laptop. There was a banging on the door of the plane, the only way in. She didn't bother answering it, instead training her gun towards it, using one hand to pull up the files. "Before you do anything, I think Snake Eyes took care of it. He came by with them, pointing them towards you."

"Sis!" Lilah opened the door, seeing the captain and her brother first. "I was hoping it would be you, sis." She pulled them in, along with a few of the other Joes. "Allow me to say that Zartan talks a lot." Lilah trusted Snake Eyes, don't get her wrong, but it wasn't a matter of trusting Snake Eyes at that moment. It was a matter of trusting Zartan and the programming of the Project. She kept her gun on them, looking at the files. "Uhhh... Annabelle?"

"How did he deactivate the bugs?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hibiki asked.

Duke answered, "He gave us some type of liquid. It was purple." Lilah pulled her gun down. She tackled her brother in a hug, turning to the others. "Snakes said you've been a great big help. The whole reason we have that flash drive is thanks to you."

"Thanks to the hacker community," Lilah said, feeling slightly embarrassed. "But, if it makes you feel better, Zartan isn't any good at disguising his files. He left pretty much everything out in the open." She was sitting in her chair when her brother's hold tightened around her neck, cutting off the air. She glared at her brother. "The fuc-" He tightened even more, Duke grabbing her gun.

Lilah saw a flash on metal on his cheek and began beating furiously. Turned out Destro wasn't kicked out of the band. And he managed to get a few friends. "The Joes were easy to bring back to life. Just put in a bit of the parasite, and they were all yours. See, it takes a bit more than the purple serum, it takes the green one too. The purple kills the physical aspects and abilities of the parasite injected. The green gives back control."

"Fuck you," she choked out, black dotting her vision.

"Your brother, now that will be a tricky one. He's resisting it, but I suppose that's what we get for trying to recruit someone as... good as he. But once we have you, he'll come over. So will your sister, and eventually your brother." Lilah kicked out at him, but it was weak. He chuckled, and gasped suddenly as someone slammed a blade through his chest. He fell, and Storm Shadow stood behind him, his white suit clean. Lilah fell to the ground as Storm Shadow took the device at Destro's waist, pressing a button.

"You're lucky I got a few answers from Zartan before he died." He tapped a button and all of them got into a single filed line. Lilah caught her breath as he injected the green serum into the Joes, then sat next to her. He lightly brushed the bruises at Lilah's neck. "Are you okay?"

"As okay as I'll get." Lilah took a deep breath. "I hate Cobra." Storm Shadow chuckled. "I'm serious, Stormy..." Suddenly the day before rushed back and she pushed him away from her, getting up to grab the fried chicken as everyone began complaining about being hungry. "I don't have enough for everyone, so share. I've got pizza and chips, but the ice cream is mine."

Honestly, Lilah wanted to kick Storm Shadow off her plane. He had pissed her off, and she didn't trust him after that stunt. So when he tried to follow her, she turned and snarled, "Go back to where you came from, snake. I don't have time for someone who turns on me and gets my brothers killed." She turned back away from him, grabbing one of the pints and sitting in the cockpit to await further instruction.

Storm Shadow took the seat next to her, remaining silent. "It wasn't supposed-"

"I don't give a flying set of fucking rainbows how it was supposed to go," Lilah said in a voice that told him to drop it. He stared at her a while longer, expecting more. But Lilah honestly didn't blame him for her brother's death, Hibiki chose to go, but she did blame him for allowing her son to watch her brother die. Storm Shadow seemed hurt by her obvious hostility as Duke came up.

"Thank you for all of your help. I don't think we'd be here without you. I'm Duke."

"Lilah," she said shortly. Duke glanced towards Storm Shadow. "Don't worry. I'll kill him if I need to." He nodded, going back and thumping a boy named Mouse on the back. It was silent between the two of them, even as the mission ended.

* * *

"We'll miss you, Lilah," Jaye said, giving her a quick hug. Jinx was next in line, and Lilah laughed as Jinx linked arms with Jaye to form a kick line. Lilah laughed, going along with it as the guys all gave them weird looks. Lilah had changed her appearance a bit, adding some blue streaks to her and straightening it. No more blonde curls. "Although, I guess we should start calling you Annabelle?"

"Zaltana," Lilah corrected. "I hate my first name. It sounds like two names in one. My middle name means 'high mountain' which is why everyone thought Hibiki and I always got along so well. His name was translated as 'echo.'" Lilah bit her lip, eyes shining. "I just might have to come back, Jaye. My brother can't stay Cobra forever."

"We'll get him back," Roadblock said, opening his arms. Lilah went towards him before stepping under his arms and jumping on his back.

"Piggy back ride!" He chuckled, grabbing his arms and slipping her over him so she landed on her back. She pouted, rubbing where she'd landed. "You're mean..." Lilah hugged Flint next, then Snake Eyes. Snake Eyes grabbed her arm, not roughly, and pointed towards a tree where a shadow was. Lilah sighed, knowing she couldn't go without saying goodbye to him too.

Lilah almost missed Firefly when she found out he was dead. But he was Cobra, and Cobra took away her brother. So she convinced herself to not care. Storm Shadow had sat with her the night of the mission, letting her cry on him when she needed it. That was how he knew she wasn't murderously pissed at him, and it seemed to fix something between them that had been broken on the plane. It wasn't fully healed, but they were working towards it.

"I guess you wanted to go without saying goodbye?" she asked, seeing his mask in place. "I mean, I know I'm a bitch, but jeez. I thought you were past that fact." Lilah leaned against the tree, watching him as he took all of her in. He had never seen her so relaxed before. "Stormy? Am I ever going to see you again? Like a movie night or something?"

He shrugged, and Lilah sighed. "I'll take it as a no. Well... I'll.. Nice knowing you, then." She moved towards him, but he beat her to it. He wrapped her in his arms, holding tight. Lilah felt tears prick at her eyes, knowing this was really a goodbye. Storm Shadow wasn't going to stay with the Joes, and the Joes were eventually going to lose contact with her. She was never going to spend real time with them again...

"Thomas Arashikage." Lilah didn't need to ask what he was telling her. She smiled up at him, almost on the bridge of tears. He didn't say much else, but Lilah didn't want to hear much else. It hurt more knowing he trusted her with his name like that. "Annabelle Zaltana Myuu." Storm Shadow already knew her name, but had called her nothing but it seemed to him like she was giving him permission to call her by her real name instead of her sister's name.

Lilah sniffled, trying to hide it from the ninja. He picked up on it anyway, and pulled back. "God I hate my period." She wasn't near that time, but it was a great excuse when she needed it. Storm Shadow knew she would use it too, so he pulled off his mask. "You know I'm going to miss you, right? I know how I can be and all, and I'm sorry about blaming you for something when it was actually really foreseeable and it was safer to play your way, but-" Lilah closed her eyes as something warm and soft pressed gently against her lips for a brief second before Storm Shadow was gone. She smiled softly, a tear falling.

"Damn ninja."


	14. Chapter 14

"Mom, can you help me with my homework?" Zaltana dried a plate, deciding that she was going to stick to paper plates, and made her way to the living room where her eleven year old was doing his homework. It had been three years since Zaltana saw the Joes in person, but she often communicated with them over the internet and on the phone. She laid down on the floor, her bones popping. Her son smirked at her. "You're getting old, mom."

"Shut up, Aron." Zaltana bumped shoulders with the boy. She had several fights with Hillary about this arrangement, but when Hillary got knocked up with triplets, she found that she couldn't handle three babies and a kid that would soon be a teenager. The door to her bedroom opened and someone tickled Zaltana. She laughed hard, the sensitive parts of her body being tickled. She flipped over, and the sensation ceased.

"Is my woman helping out with homework again?" Zaltana had been steady with him for two years after he found her in the gym working of steam from another fight with Hillary that left Aron in tears. Brian was a really cool guy. He was loyal, kind and accepted that Zaltana was a package deal. The blonde trusted him more than she trusted a lot of people, her son included. It didn't help that he had blue eyes a girl could just die staring into.

"Your woman?" Zaltana grinned as he leaned in, his lips brushing hers.

"Hey, get a room!" The couple laughed. Brian got up to go finish dishes, adding on to the list of things Zaltana loved about him. Her smile died as she thought of someone else, someone she hadn't seen at all in the three years. Aron could get anything out of his mom, so he knew immediately who she was thinking of. "He'll come back eventually."

Zaltana shrugged as the doorbell rang. She rolled back onto her stomach as Brian answered the door. There was a moment before her boyfriend fell to his knees. Zaltana pushed her son to his room where there was a place for him to hide where no one could find him. The gun under the coffee table came into her hands as a familiar uniform entered her living room. "I told you we would come back. Shame we had to kill him."

Zaltana sent an SOS message from her pocket to a certain ninja, who could be there after she left, in just enough time. She hoped. He probably wouldn't even bother...

Brian was reaching toward her, and Zaltana felt her heart clench terribly watching him like that. "What will it takes to get you to leave him and Aron alone?" She couldn't hide her defeated tone or look. She didn't have the heart to do it.

"Volunteer for the Prototype Program."

* * *

He wore a white jacket as he came through the door. There was someone leaving against the wall, pale and barely alive. Storm Shadow knelt down. "Who came here?" Storm Shadow assumed him to be Brian, the one Snake Eyes told him about. Brian's head rules down, eyeing something in his hand. Storm Shadow saw the insignia and turned his thoughts elsewhere. "The boy?"

"Room." It was a croak, and South Shadow knew to move quickly. He knocked three times on the wall, the signal to come out in Lilah- Zaltana's family. Aron flew from the closet he was hiding in, eyes so much like his mother's searching.

"Where's mom?"


End file.
